MY 60TH BIRTHDAY JOURNAL
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| FAMILY PHOTO - MEGHAN, MYRA AND FRANK, JULY 2010 |
July 19, 2010
The Big Day is this Friday. I'm turning 60.
I'm marking it several ways. I've declared July fun month. I'll start the BIG DAY with a swim at my favourite beach, Morningside. My friend Beverley is coming with me to hold the towel and take pictures. Friends and family are coming to celebrate with cava and crab at our condo and then walk to The Wesley Street Cafe (our favourite) for a fabulous dinner. (Instead of gifts I'm asking for a donation to the Nanaimo Women's Centre). Really looking forward to this, the brunch at our house the next morning and a trip to the Dinghy Dock on Saturday night. When all this is done, and I've recovered I'm going to visit Vancouver for several days by myself. I have a lunch date with Kay Bolton (her husband married my parents) and also one with Barbara Yearsley (also a friend of my Mum's but me too). I'll check out the Vancouver Tai Chi club because I've never seen it, see Paddy and Wally's new house and hopefully see some others I haven't seen for awhile.
So, yes, I want to celebrate. And I want my friends and family around me.
Also, though, I feel gratitude.
And I'm interested in how young I feel!
I'm totally alright with myself at the moment. But part of me just can't believe it!
I feel really good, healthy, positive and energetic. I feel very much like myself, which for me is the person I became at about age 25, except better, maybe not so much angst or something. I pretty much expect to feel, at least in my head, 25 until I drop.
I'm really enjoying my Tai Chi, my work on the Nanaimo Women's Centre board and also working as a Volunteer Counsellor for Nanaimo Family Life Association. I feel so lucky that I get to participate in all these wonderful things. They are all things I once thought other people got to do - but apparently you can if you want!? Who knew?
I seem to want to be out in the community and connected. That's a big theme for this year and for how I want to mark my birthday - connecting and reconnecting.
Also, I'm loving our condo here in downtown Nanaimo and our terrace, patio, roof garden, outdoor space garden. I'm still loving my pal Frank too - he's aging very nicely, if creakily.
I didn't think 60 could possibly be this much fun. Sometimes I'm quite surprised by life's pleasures and satisfactions.
Like traveling. That's something else I thought other people got to do. So incredibly fun and interesting and fulfilling really. We've gone to Mexico, Cuba, France and Spain. The trip to France and Spain last fall was totally wonderful. Spain is where I fell in love with Barcelona and also with Cava. Did I mention cava this Friday for my birthday? Whoopee!
I'll let you know how all these celebratory plans go. Gotta go clean a bathroom or order a quiche or something....... Ta Ta for now...........
July 20, 2010
Three more sleeps before the party for my birthday. Dinner details at the restaurant far from nailed down. I woke up in the middle of last night (watched an amazing documentary about a wonderful circus dance troupe from Montreal, 7 doigts on one hand) worried about that and the damn dress I bought. It's really cute - but is it me? I'm going to Hagar's today to buy back up pants and I'll have to find Gaetan today too to see if our pages look at all similar. Meanwhile, I didn't mention that I was going to turn my birthday into a big fund raising for the women's centre weekend, until the rug got pulled out from under the Beer and Burger at a local pub on Saturday night. Had to redo my invites and recall 36 emails I had sent to out to friends and associates around Nanaimo to invite them to come. And then I sent them another date and now I have to send them a third. Just a little bit embarrassing I tell you. The air has kind of gone out of the whole idea. But it will probably hopefully be fun on Saturday, August 14th at the Foundry Pub. There will be beer and live music, usually a winning combination in my book.
Anyway, the living room gets put back today (did I mention Frank decided to redecorate this week?) and I'll make Welsh Cakes and bread. It's all good, going to be great. Keep ya posted.
An hour later....
Well that was interesting. The trouble with not working is you have too much time to think. I just tried on my dress, with a white sweater, mary jane's and black stud earrings and they all look really good together. Me, not me, who cares? - it feels really nice when I have it on. It'll be fine. The dress is really sweet (and slimming!), I'm still not really sure about pulling off sweet, but i really like it and it's really comfortable so it's a go. I might buy some black pants at Hagar's in case of emergency, good to have a plan B right?
My restauranteur continues to be elusive. I emailed him with all my questions. When I went by the restaurant which had closed after lunch I noted that the chef on the fresh sheet was someone new - not Josh Massey, the regular chef I had expected.
Anyway today I made Welsh Cakes for the brunch and some bread. Maybe I'll make potato bread tomorrow.
The weather is absolutely perfect. Not too hot, but really sunny. I'm starting to take it for granted.
What I keep realizing and thinking about is 'Let'. Let people like you. Or not. Letting things happen. Allowing. Stopping. Making room. Letting it come to me. Letting stuff develop.........
July 2, 2010
OK I finally connected with Gaetan and all systems are go for the dinner. No Josh though - the fantastic young chef - he moved to Comox without our permission I can assure you! Gaetan says this Irish 'Michelin' guy is great. We'll see about that.
Getting excited. I washed windows and watered this morning. Walked around Buttertubs first thing - the summer morning light was so lovely, soft and bright at the same time. Just love these summer days, we're so lucky.
July 22, 2010
Well a very pleasant day and week proceeding my birthday. Excellent tai chi class, as usual. Good second counselling session last night with my new client. Also, I attended briefly a client consultation led by Catherine Andrew before my session last night. It was really really good. I'll go to the next one which is in August for sure. So valuable, she has awesome experience. And seeing the volunteer counsellors and their intelligence, sensitivity and devotion in action is really inspiring. Nanaimo Family Life is a special place.
This morning I walked Westwood - water choppy but a very pretty deep blue. Then I did the last of the grocery shopping for the weekend events. And this afternoon I partook in a very interesting meeting about Women's Centre events and policies about client behaviour and transgender issues we are working on, with Beverley and Lesley at The Vault.
Now, I'm on holiday until I get back from Vancouver after the August holiday weekend. When I do I'm eager to get back to all of these activities, including the Board Manual, my pet project.
I'm not sure if I know how to holiday. But I'm pretty sure that a summer holiday involves visiting, chardonnay and swimming. And a good book. That's a must. I'm reading There is A Season by Patrick Lane. And enjoying it.
South African rub BBQ'd chicken and a Spanish white for tonight. We're listening to a nice playlist Frank made for tomorrow - lots of jazz standards.
I guess the only thing left is to paint my nails and do a laundry.
OK! I'M READY TO TURN 60!
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| NICE DRESS EH? |
July 23, 2010
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| BIRTHDAY SWIM AT MORNINGSIDE BEACH |
My day started with a lovely card and gift of Symphony Season's Tickets from Frank.
Then - the birthday swim. I picked up Beverley and we went to Morningside beach. It was absolutely perfect, warm and delicious.
We drove by our old house on Lost Lake Road and went to Bodhi's Bakery for coffee and lots of bread for the party. Then we picked up 20 champagne flutes from the rental place.
I spent the rest of the day doing a few party getting ready things, but mostly waiting for when I could put on my dress! Meghan arrived right at 2:00 and she and I went to the Sea Drift Market to get the crab (all cleaned and chopped) and the platter of crab cakes and dip.
Before I got gussied up though the Celebrity Guest Chef arrived! My friend Bill had been commandeered to cook crab for the crab and cava appetizer gathering before we all headed to the Wesley Street restaurant for supper. He arrived in good time (he grabbed a floatplane from Vancouver) brought gifts of wine and we had a nice visit on the terrace before he had to get the crab and dips organized.
Dress on - cava chilled, special jazz playlist playing...... The Party was on!
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| MR. BILL, CELEBRITY GUEST CHEF |
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| CRAB EATERS ON PATIO |
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| FRANK DOING SEEMINGLY ENDLESS BIRTHDAY DUTIES- THANKS FRANK! |
We kind of straggled (there were 16 of us in total) down to the restaurant. Greeted by the incredibly charming Gaetan and razzed by the saucy and hilarious server. Gaetan's chosen wines flowed freely. They were totally delicious. Everyone settled in to have a good time and seemed to do just that. Very satisfying for the birthday girl.
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| FRANK, JT, WALLY, BEVERLEY, SYLVIA, LYNNE, CAMERON, MEGHAN |
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| DOROTHY (TURNED 60 JULY 14) & MYRA |
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| BIRTHDAY DINNER MENU, WESLEY STREET CAFE |
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| TUNA APPETIZER |
As we were leaving my guests sang Happy Birthday and off we went to walk around the harbour and back up to our patio for a nightcap.
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| PARTY GIRLS |
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| BILL AND CAMERON HAMMING IT UP |
A gorgeous, warm mellow summer night. WOW!
July 24 , 2010
Up earlyish to supervise Meghan in the making of the fruit salad.
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| GOOD DAUGHTER! |
Bathtub parade is gathering out on Selby Street.
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| ELVIS LIVES |
Collect 3 quiches from Bocca. Grind lots of coffee. Put on my Birthday playlist of old favourites - motown, folk, singer songwriter and reggae.
Gosh, 10-12 people for brunch, Vancouverites who stayed over and the addition of Tom and Vicki who popped over on the ferry. Lots of fun and visiting and Frank showed his old 8 mm movies of us back in 1973...... In the middle of it all Meghan answered the phone, someone asked for me, I took it and the woman on the other end said she wanted to talk about my 'flight with Meghan to Vancouver tomorrow'! I didn't know anything about a flight and figured a big surprise had just been messed up and handed the phone back to Meghan. 'Oh', she says to Meghan 'I just read the rest of the note' (the part where she isn't supposed to use this phone number) 'I hope I haven't messed anything up'!!!???
Yup. Too late. You did.
Then an afternoon break in activities where Meghan and I chose to dash up to Morningside to swim. This is when I chose to find out what was up. Meghan told me we're going to Vancouver tomorrow to see the Lion King! Crazy!
Now, off to pick up Bill, Tuffi and Sonya for a trip to the Dinghy Dock. A bit of a wait, but we get a great table and enjoy our beers and dinner right on the water very much. Another gorgeous, mellow summer evening.
Back to the condo for fireworks.
Crash.
July 25, 2010
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| OFF TO THE LION KING - WE LOVE MUSICALS! |
Yep. Believe it or not time. Meghan and I are down at the floatplane Terminal right at Bathtub time and see them buzz by us. Then we fly to Vancouver, walk to the Library for lunch, go to the theatre and see Lion King, walk to Cordova Street and have Frapuccinos, say Hi to Bill, Tuffi and Sonya as they disembark from their Nanaimo flight home to Vancouver, and then hop on the floatplane back to Nanaimo.
The Lion King was wonderful by the way - costumes and dancing especially good.
The most amazing birthday ever. The real thing is the people of course. I really loved sharing the day with my friends and family. They are what really count. Especially appreciated Meghan and Frank's devotion. And Bill's contribution. And Bob and Shauna coming and all the Makaroffs coming. And it was wonderful to see Cameron, my 19 year old nephew. And what good friends to come here to help me mark it - Dorothy, JT and Uli. And how nice it was to share it all with my new friends Beverley and Wally.
It was all totally awesome and I'm still totally exhausted 2 days later. Recovery time increases with age I guess. But it was SO worth it.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!
LOVE YA!
I think the 60's are going to be just great.
Well, that was a basic account of all things Myra Turns 60. By the way, we raised something like $400 in donations to the Women's Centre and the Welsh Cakes were delicious and popular at the brunch.
I'm pretty sure some philosophizing will be added to this journal, but now it's off to Vancouver for a week of summer fun, visiting and exploration. I'm really keen to take advantage of this time off and enjoy summer things, like swimming and ice cream and patios.... and people too.
Bye for now.....
Love, MT (It's not over til it's over, see below)
To mark my 60th birthday I wanted to do something special for myself. I decided to have a holiday in Vancouver on my own to reconnect with people I haven't seen enough or people I haven't seen at all for awhile.
So off I go on the 8:30 ferry on Thursday July 29th. (They were having a sale and took $20 off my fare total!).
Thursday July 29 - Into The Mistic, Colin James
Visit #1: My first visit is lunch with Kay Bolton in her retirement building (it's deluxe, expensive but she says she can 'just' afford it) at 15th and Lonsdale. She is 96 years old and totally sharp and with it (plays bridge with the most savvy fellow inmates 3 times a week) , just like the woman I knew years ago. She is the last survivor of the Winnipeg community at Roslyn Road. Her husband Elliott, who died in the late 60's, married my parents in 1942. Her daughter Frances joined us for lunch in the downstairs dining room. I visited with her for 4 hours, sitting in her apartment looking out her window on the 16th floor at The Lions. I really really enjoyed it. We reminisced briefly about my visiting her in her Montreal apartment (her daughter Barbara was 9) when I was 18. The bedclothes on my bed caught on fire from a lamp that was too close! I went from there to rent a room downtown to decide if I wanted to move to Montreal and live on my own there. I quickly realized that I needed to go back to Toronto, pack up all my stuff and go home, as Watson was getting weaker and more ill. Kay commented that when I visited here I 'played my guitar a lot'.
Dancing in the Moonlight - Van Morrison, 'Music to Cook By' - Jamie Oliver
Visit #2: My next visit is with Bill, Tuffi and Jim McPherson. I 'booked' in to the house at Collingwood which was my home for a few days. I can sleep in Sylvia's bed because she is in Storm Bay at the AGM. We walk up to a pub on Broadway and have burgers and beer. It was fun and a lovely summer night. Tuffi is engrossed in a hunt for accommodation for 5 of them in New York. They are going in September to celebrate Katherine Makaroff's 30th birthday with her. It is a beautiful summer night and I enjoy chatting and visiting.
More Van Morrison in Pub
Friday July 30th
I walk Emma in the morning and eat bagels and cream cheese for breakfast.
Apophenia - seeing patterns that aren't there. Sirocco - phone message. DEWC - impossible phone system.
Visit #3: is a lunch date with Barbara Yearsley. She is 86 and lives on her own in a subsidized senior apartment right near Monk McQueens by the water at False Creek. We go for lunch nearby and then visit at her apartment. Our visit is 3 hours, governed somewhat by the time limits on the parking. Barbara met my mum's good friend Gordon Yearsley in China. She and Gordon bailed from there after Tianamen Square and stayed with my mum at her house in West Point Grey. Barbara is a lovely bright and funny person. Totally enjoyed this visit too. She gave me a book that she wrote about a crow, Gilbert. Good book! She keep quite busy painting and editing. Nancy Hannum keeps her finances straight for her and lives close by.
Visit #4: Dinner at Collingwood with Bob, Shauna, Bill, Tuffi and Sonya. As Bill worked this day I volunteered to cook dinner. I had been perusing a James Barber cookbook that I hadn't seen before and seen a recipe for North African chicken I wanted to try. So, I made this coconut stirfry chicken breast dish, rice, spiced pureed carrots and a bag of 'Asian' salad. Bob and Shauna and Sonya were added to Bill and Tuff. It was lovely. They all seemed to like it. I showed Bob the Nanaimocityhall Blog and also showed everyone some Europe pictures from Shaw Photoshare, as well as my 60th Birthday Blog. Bob was curious about my ability to type so much.
Saturday July 30th
I'm also planning 2 'institutional' for want of a better word visits while I'm here. One to the Vancouver Tai Chi club because I've never been there and a tai chi class is always a good idea any time. Also, I want to see the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, and do some liaising as there is a misunderstanding between them and our Women's Centre here I would like to address.
Visit #5: Vancouver Tai Chi Club. It's in a strange location on a kind of desolate corner near kingsway and fraser. Also, it's across from the funeral home that Colin's 'viewing' was when he died. I found a friend I hadn't seen for 30 years, Dale Hunter, and spoke briefly with him. As soon as he placed who I was he asked how Eric was. When I told him Eric had died 8 years ago he was visibly shocked. Then he taught a beginner's class. I took the ongoing class next to it and could hear what he was saying to his class the whole time as he has a really deep resonant voice. He seemed to be an excellent teacher! Meanwhile Marj Sutherland gave me a hug to pass on to Marlene and asked the teacher to acknowledge my presence, as a visitor from Nanaimo. I hung around to talk to Dale but he disappeared. There were a few people going for lunch to a Chinese restaurant (I had met Dana before, and seen the others too). They invited me. It was really good, really great socializing, and very pleasant to be in a busy humming Vancouver Chinese restaurant. Most satisfying experience. And a walk from Fraser to Main street too. Just great.
Visit #6: Now I have to get my act together for dinner at Paddy Fahrni's house with Paddy and Dorothy. We sat on Paddy's back deck under huge trees watching little birds eating sausage salad and artichoke pasta salad. I really enjoyed reconnecting with both of these women. Bob Marley for music. Good white wine of course. Catching up. The next morning Paddy and I walked the Labyrinth right by her house. Just lovely. Another lovely summer night (a bit of a drizzle and fireworks too).
reginamom.com, epicure.com, skype, people and ideas, engaged
Sunday August 1
Visit #7: Dinner at Collingwood with Bill, Tuffi, Bob, Shauna, Lynne, JT, Uli, Friedl, Margaret and Jim. Bill smoked the best black cod ever, just incredible. We sat and chatted as he worked on the coals. I made tomato salad and asparagus and he added an excellent risotto. Uli brought plum pie and Jim bought a cherry pie. It was a nice gathering. We looked at Uli's pictures of the Hollyhock garden. Another really pleasant lovely summer night. Lots of stars. Tuffi and I walk Emma again.
Caring and support in the air
Monday August 2
'My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean' on the radio on the drive down to Powell Street.
I take myself out for dim sum in Chinatown and a frapuccino at Granville Market.
Visit #8: Dinner at Dorothy's with Dorothy and Brian. Before dinner Dorothy and I walk down to the market at 7th and Cambie. An incredible store! Loved it. Brian came over. We drank a good bottle of Pinot Gris (Mt. Boucherie) and Cava too. Again sitting outside visiting. Brian BBQ'd the chicken. We had salad and chard with it. Very good. Brian went home and Dorothy and I yakked and yakked to our heart's content on her patio. Brian called and told us about a great sunset - we walked to Broadway and then up onto Granville Bridge. The sun was a deep deep pink colour and just going down - beautiful.
Tuesday August 3
Visit #9: Downtown Eastside Women's Centre. I wanted to talk to some 'brass' about the misunderstanding between our two centres. I spoke with Nicole, the bookkeeper. She gave me Alison, the coordinator's card. An amazing place. They serve 200-300 lunches to women 7 days a week.!!
Visit #10: Lunch with Gerry in Horseshoe Bay. Gerry brought me her homemade jam. I forgot to give her a picture of Frank, Myra and Meghan. We had a Japanese lunch. She had to get the 2:30, so it seemed short. I really appreciated her popping over to see me. It was great to see her.
Home Sweet Home
This Vancouver trip was just as I had imagined. Very satisfying to connect some more and reconnect. I was so happy to be puttering about on my own and doing a ton of visiting as well as having the Women's Centre project and the Tai Chi class. I feel so good. I'm very pleased with myself for giving myself this present. I will be back!
[On my first day back I checked my EI messages and they said I was getting $199 per week. And there it was in our account1 My first cheque and I'm on! (There was some doubt)]
Now I'm enjoying patio sitting, cooking, white wine drinking. And coming up is: tai chi under the sea on august 8 on protection island, tai chi around the world at 7 a.m. at Maffeo Sutton park, and a visit to Victoria to see Meghan.
But now I must sign off on this interminable journal. It's been fun.
Love, Myra
I think the 60's are going to be just great.
Well, that was a basic account of all things Myra Turns 60. By the way, we raised something like $400 in donations to the Women's Centre and the Welsh Cakes were delicious and popular at the brunch.
I'm pretty sure some philosophizing will be added to this journal, but now it's off to Vancouver for a week of summer fun, visiting and exploration. I'm really keen to take advantage of this time off and enjoy summer things, like swimming and ice cream and patios.... and people too.
Bye for now.....
Love, MT (It's not over til it's over, see below)
P.S. MY BIRTHDAY FEET.
THE SAGA CONTINUES WITH A
SUMMER SOJOURN TO VANCOUVER -
(Note: PICTURES are on the home page)
To mark my 60th birthday I wanted to do something special for myself. I decided to have a holiday in Vancouver on my own to reconnect with people I haven't seen enough or people I haven't seen at all for awhile.
So off I go on the 8:30 ferry on Thursday July 29th. (They were having a sale and took $20 off my fare total!).
Thursday July 29 - Into The Mistic, Colin James
Visit #1: My first visit is lunch with Kay Bolton in her retirement building (it's deluxe, expensive but she says she can 'just' afford it) at 15th and Lonsdale. She is 96 years old and totally sharp and with it (plays bridge with the most savvy fellow inmates 3 times a week) , just like the woman I knew years ago. She is the last survivor of the Winnipeg community at Roslyn Road. Her husband Elliott, who died in the late 60's, married my parents in 1942. Her daughter Frances joined us for lunch in the downstairs dining room. I visited with her for 4 hours, sitting in her apartment looking out her window on the 16th floor at The Lions. I really really enjoyed it. We reminisced briefly about my visiting her in her Montreal apartment (her daughter Barbara was 9) when I was 18. The bedclothes on my bed caught on fire from a lamp that was too close! I went from there to rent a room downtown to decide if I wanted to move to Montreal and live on my own there. I quickly realized that I needed to go back to Toronto, pack up all my stuff and go home, as Watson was getting weaker and more ill. Kay commented that when I visited here I 'played my guitar a lot'.
Dancing in the Moonlight - Van Morrison, 'Music to Cook By' - Jamie Oliver
Visit #2: My next visit is with Bill, Tuffi and Jim McPherson. I 'booked' in to the house at Collingwood which was my home for a few days. I can sleep in Sylvia's bed because she is in Storm Bay at the AGM. We walk up to a pub on Broadway and have burgers and beer. It was fun and a lovely summer night. Tuffi is engrossed in a hunt for accommodation for 5 of them in New York. They are going in September to celebrate Katherine Makaroff's 30th birthday with her. It is a beautiful summer night and I enjoy chatting and visiting.
More Van Morrison in Pub
Friday July 30th
I walk Emma in the morning and eat bagels and cream cheese for breakfast.
Apophenia - seeing patterns that aren't there. Sirocco - phone message. DEWC - impossible phone system.
Visit #3: is a lunch date with Barbara Yearsley. She is 86 and lives on her own in a subsidized senior apartment right near Monk McQueens by the water at False Creek. We go for lunch nearby and then visit at her apartment. Our visit is 3 hours, governed somewhat by the time limits on the parking. Barbara met my mum's good friend Gordon Yearsley in China. She and Gordon bailed from there after Tianamen Square and stayed with my mum at her house in West Point Grey. Barbara is a lovely bright and funny person. Totally enjoyed this visit too. She gave me a book that she wrote about a crow, Gilbert. Good book! She keep quite busy painting and editing. Nancy Hannum keeps her finances straight for her and lives close by.
Visit #4: Dinner at Collingwood with Bob, Shauna, Bill, Tuffi and Sonya. As Bill worked this day I volunteered to cook dinner. I had been perusing a James Barber cookbook that I hadn't seen before and seen a recipe for North African chicken I wanted to try. So, I made this coconut stirfry chicken breast dish, rice, spiced pureed carrots and a bag of 'Asian' salad. Bob and Shauna and Sonya were added to Bill and Tuff. It was lovely. They all seemed to like it. I showed Bob the Nanaimocityhall Blog and also showed everyone some Europe pictures from Shaw Photoshare, as well as my 60th Birthday Blog. Bob was curious about my ability to type so much.
Saturday July 30th
I'm also planning 2 'institutional' for want of a better word visits while I'm here. One to the Vancouver Tai Chi club because I've never been there and a tai chi class is always a good idea any time. Also, I want to see the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, and do some liaising as there is a misunderstanding between them and our Women's Centre here I would like to address.
Visit #5: Vancouver Tai Chi Club. It's in a strange location on a kind of desolate corner near kingsway and fraser. Also, it's across from the funeral home that Colin's 'viewing' was when he died. I found a friend I hadn't seen for 30 years, Dale Hunter, and spoke briefly with him. As soon as he placed who I was he asked how Eric was. When I told him Eric had died 8 years ago he was visibly shocked. Then he taught a beginner's class. I took the ongoing class next to it and could hear what he was saying to his class the whole time as he has a really deep resonant voice. He seemed to be an excellent teacher! Meanwhile Marj Sutherland gave me a hug to pass on to Marlene and asked the teacher to acknowledge my presence, as a visitor from Nanaimo. I hung around to talk to Dale but he disappeared. There were a few people going for lunch to a Chinese restaurant (I had met Dana before, and seen the others too). They invited me. It was really good, really great socializing, and very pleasant to be in a busy humming Vancouver Chinese restaurant. Most satisfying experience. And a walk from Fraser to Main street too. Just great.
Visit #6: Now I have to get my act together for dinner at Paddy Fahrni's house with Paddy and Dorothy. We sat on Paddy's back deck under huge trees watching little birds eating sausage salad and artichoke pasta salad. I really enjoyed reconnecting with both of these women. Bob Marley for music. Good white wine of course. Catching up. The next morning Paddy and I walked the Labyrinth right by her house. Just lovely. Another lovely summer night (a bit of a drizzle and fireworks too).
http://renfrewravinelabyrinth.wordpress.com/
reginamom.com, epicure.com, skype, people and ideas, engaged
Sunday August 1
Visit #7: Dinner at Collingwood with Bill, Tuffi, Bob, Shauna, Lynne, JT, Uli, Friedl, Margaret and Jim. Bill smoked the best black cod ever, just incredible. We sat and chatted as he worked on the coals. I made tomato salad and asparagus and he added an excellent risotto. Uli brought plum pie and Jim bought a cherry pie. It was a nice gathering. We looked at Uli's pictures of the Hollyhock garden. Another really pleasant lovely summer night. Lots of stars. Tuffi and I walk Emma again.
Caring and support in the air
Monday August 2
'My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean' on the radio on the drive down to Powell Street.
I take myself out for dim sum in Chinatown and a frapuccino at Granville Market.
Visit #8: Dinner at Dorothy's with Dorothy and Brian. Before dinner Dorothy and I walk down to the market at 7th and Cambie. An incredible store! Loved it. Brian came over. We drank a good bottle of Pinot Gris (Mt. Boucherie) and Cava too. Again sitting outside visiting. Brian BBQ'd the chicken. We had salad and chard with it. Very good. Brian went home and Dorothy and I yakked and yakked to our heart's content on her patio. Brian called and told us about a great sunset - we walked to Broadway and then up onto Granville Bridge. The sun was a deep deep pink colour and just going down - beautiful.
Tuesday August 3
Visit #9: Downtown Eastside Women's Centre. I wanted to talk to some 'brass' about the misunderstanding between our two centres. I spoke with Nicole, the bookkeeper. She gave me Alison, the coordinator's card. An amazing place. They serve 200-300 lunches to women 7 days a week.!!
Visit #10: Lunch with Gerry in Horseshoe Bay. Gerry brought me her homemade jam. I forgot to give her a picture of Frank, Myra and Meghan. We had a Japanese lunch. She had to get the 2:30, so it seemed short. I really appreciated her popping over to see me. It was great to see her.
Home Sweet Home
This Vancouver trip was just as I had imagined. Very satisfying to connect some more and reconnect. I was so happy to be puttering about on my own and doing a ton of visiting as well as having the Women's Centre project and the Tai Chi class. I feel so good. I'm very pleased with myself for giving myself this present. I will be back!
[On my first day back I checked my EI messages and they said I was getting $199 per week. And there it was in our account1 My first cheque and I'm on! (There was some doubt)]
Now I'm enjoying patio sitting, cooking, white wine drinking. And coming up is: tai chi under the sea on august 8 on protection island, tai chi around the world at 7 a.m. at Maffeo Sutton park, and a visit to Victoria to see Meghan.
But now I must sign off on this interminable journal. It's been fun.
Love, Myra
