Meanderings and Musings

Sky Pics:

On one of my walks last week I was excited to see the shape of the new golf course, its rolling beauty finally appearing after months of snow. And I couldn't resist another angle with this patch of blue beckoning above.

Heading back towards home I revelled in the widening blue above and hoped for a good shot of the beautiful street where I live.

I know, it's the same street a little closer to home; in fact, our condo is in the distance in this shot. Do you see how green the grass is getting?

And this barren wasteland lies across the road where earth moving machines have turned the landscape to tundra till the new houses pop up one by one.

Pretty Things:

I wanted to show Beth how pretty the salt and pepper she gave me look in the condo. I was saving them for 'good' but decided to use my good stuff more often. We've had many china/sterling silver dinners with friends since moving in here.

I was looking for a fruit bowl to put out and found this one last weekend at Don Zver Pottery in Troy, Ontario. We had a crazy trip there taking wrong turns everywhere, racing a train as the track ran beside the back road we somehow got onto, and watching the clock tick down till closing time at the pottery shop. We expected to get there and find it closed. It was not and we were not disappointed, finding four different bowls we liked very much. Good things.

Oh, that salt and pepper just kept running all over the house!

Kinda Funny:

And here again is a picture from my walk where I thought the building didn't live up to the sign in the foreground. Does this mean the old building is the future home of the recreation complex for this upscale neighbourhood?

I hope not! We cannot however decide why the developers have left this old building here when they tore down all the rest of the former Ontario Hospital buildings. Hmmm.

Our walks have been very exciting as well as healthful since we moved here and we delight in finding interesting new places to explore. We found an old rail trail yesterday but I had left my camera at home. Ah well, next time.

We Had NO Idea!

Our daughter and her husband may not exactly know just how much they have changed us in the last two months. On February 27 they ushered into the world our very first grandchild, an event which we all awaited anxiously and with great anticipation. When the time came for her birth Chelsea took her sweet time making her first appearance. Her mom was ready and waiting but Chelsea just didn't want to travel down that canal and a Caesarian was imminent. Fortunately the doctor didn't have to do that and Chelsea made her wonderful way into the world with just a little prodding. ( I wonder if this is a sign of things to come?)

We had planned with Beth to make our way to Victoria on March 19, a full three weeks after Chelsea was born, and our planning was good because the new young parents had plenty of time to get their heads around parenting before we got there. Watching the two of them with their daughter is something I won't ever forget as both handle her with such love and tenderness, you'd think they have nothing else in their lives, which is just not true. They have busy, productive, happy lives; indeed, we thought they might never opt for children, but opt they did and I haven't seen any regrets so far. (Wait till she's fifteen!)

Our week in their home was wonderful as we both held and cuddled and stroked our newest love as much as we wanted. The young parents were very kind to us. Both Ron and I have always loved children--we spent our lives teaching teenagers--and our five youngest nephews have been a perfect joy to us whenever we've been near them.

But we had NO idea what a physical leap our hearts would take when first we held our first grandchild. My son-in-law passed her tiny three-week-old body into my waiting arms as I sat in a sofa chair and I smelled her damp sweetness against my shoulder. She nestled in against my neck and, of its own accord, my hand stroked the length of her tiny back, up and down, up and down, soothing me as much as her. With every sniff and stroke I felt my grin widen and my body adjust to Chelsea's shape. Holding the prize, I looked at her grandfather and knew I had to share.

Grandpa--my, it's fun to say the word--wasn't really sure and suggested I just hang onto her but I was a little insistent. I stood and, in a tangle of out-of-practice hands and arms we managed to transfer Chelsea into her grandfather's waiting arms and I watched the grin on his face and the softness in his eyes as he held and really met his grandchild for the first time. I saw that he felt as I did and we smiled at each other, knowing without speaking what had happened.

Throughout the next week we got as much of a Chelsea fix as we could, marvelling at how she had touched some inner hot spot in both of us, until, all too soon, the time was running out when we would be there with her. Then we held her even more. Finally we had to leave for the plane trip home and we had our last hugs and kisses with all three of them. I tried not to think about the sadness then and skipped out the door with my suitcase rolling along after me, waving goodbye, a smile of my face.

When we were safely on the plane I let myself think of what we had done and had to blink a few times. I looked at my husband and we talked about the little life we had left behind for three months. She will be so changed when we see her again and we would love to be there for every change. Neither of us were prepared for her effect on us and both of us were all the sadder to be leaving.

By the time we reached Ontario we had resigned ourselves to how lucky we are to have pictures and movies and video-conferencing and digital camera movies. The week after we left Beth sent us a file of her talking to Chelsea while filming on her digital. We were ecstatic and have shown it to everyone we could get to hold still long enough to see it. Yes, we have become those annoying, picture-toting grandparents shoving things in the faces of everyone we meet, trying to share our joy in our granddaughter. Yes, our daughter and her husband have changed us and we love it. I look forward to the three visits we already have planned for the next nine months to see our Chelsea. And, of course, her parents!

Note: I am not putting pictures of Chelsea here as her parents are reluctant and I, too, do not want to expose our angel to the possible dangers of the Internet. Suffice it to say, she is beautiful, with a light dusting of darkish brown hair, big blue eyes, lovely little ears that fold back against her head, hands that should have no trouble spanning the octaves on the piano, a bit of a frown when she is concentrating, a pretty, tiny mouth which yawns and sucks, cries and opens wide, and, now, Beth tells me, smiles in reaction to her world. My arms ache to hold her again.

These Boots Are Made For...

• Walking

Here they are, my serviceable, comfortable, easy-to-zip-up winter boots, looking a little used , or abused maybe, although I did give them a good rub down. These boots have been my loyal friends for five months and have kept my feet toasty and dry throughout this long, snowy winter. In these I have tramped through snow paths to my neighbour's house, sat in an icy arena watching skaters dance, rushed from condo to car to grocery store, tiptoed through slushy puddles, and walked the new streets of our lovely neighbourhood here in Dreamland, Ontario. They have served me well but I am thrilled to pack them away until next winter.

• Stepping Out

These snappy little numbers take me to church, to dinner, to dancing, to anywhere I want to be a little dressy but still have boots on to keep my feet snug, warm, and dry. They are a bit of a problem on ice as the leather soles are quite smooth but my guy takes my arm and I am doubly blessed. Into the closet with them, too!

• Wild and Crazy

Every once in a while I step into these babies with my jeans and my cowboy hat and climb up onto my stallion for a wild ride. Well, actually--not. But I do like to prance in them now and again. The downside is they are really noisy so people can hear me coming for miles.

• Cross Country Skiing

My cross-country ski boots look almost new--because they are! While we enjoy the skiing, these old bodies rebel at being forced out into the cold. This is a problem because we need cold for snow for skiing. Anyhow, these guys are pretty high tech, so much better than the first ones we bought over thirty years ago. These are almost like a runner but have a lace-up inside, covered with a zipper part, all of which keeps the snow out. They latch easily onto the ski bindings on the skis, unlike the old ones which necessitated bending over and contorting the body in unseemly and ungainly ways before we were ready to ski.

Today I have been saying goodbye to my winter boots and, by implication, joyously saying hello to my summer sandals. Oh, take a look at last summer's shoe frenzy, too! So these boots are walking to the storage closet and summer sandals are stepping out!

The Upside of Flying and Other Things

This wonderful display met us at the luxurious upscale Calgary airport and he was not alone. Throughout the concourse and shops areas there are unique sculptures and wonderful brag-about-Alberta dioramas. You have to have something to do while you wait three and a half hours for your connection!

This wild mustang sculpture was so real I was reluctant to stop in front of these horses long enough to take a picture.

On one of our walks last week we discovered a new golf course emerging from the ice and snow. We could just barely make out new greens covered for the winter amidst little hills and strategically planted evergreens. My husband is ecstatic and talk of golf carting across the road to play amped up our wish-it was-spring talk.

I caught this tree spreading its branches against the blue as I hiked over the burgeoning subdivisions near the golf course.

Another spectacular view met me as I opened the window blind to let the sun in about a half hour outside of Calgary on our return trip from Victoria. We were flying low! The rugged strength of the mountains took my breath away.

From Calgary's airport I watched the mountains and the Calgary downtown side by side on the horizon.

And, not to forget our first taste of spring in Victoria as we made our way home to snow, snow, snow, I'm including this fresh glimpse up on Mount Douglas, one of our new favorite places to go.

I've been looking for artwork for our bedroom in our new condo and it strikes me I ought to look for some of my own photos, worth enlarging, and display them. Mmmm. Now that's an upper!

Trooping of the Swans

Last Sunday, a week ago, that is, my guy and I headed off to Stratford for the annual trooping of the swans down to the Avon River where they swim and frolic for the summer. We parked near their winter quarters and, hunching into our coats against the frigid wind, followed the crowds over to the large pen where both ducks and swans pecked at the ground (and each other!) while adoring onlookers gawked.

The grace of these huge birds never fails to attract as they glide blissfully and effortlessly across the water.

The emerald sheen of the busy Mallards added colour to the scene as we watched the mating games these three were playing.

Sadly the cold kept the ice in the river and there was little open water for them so there was no parade to the Avon at all. Nevertheless we gloried in this promise of spring. Below these three hoped we were toting food but alas I had only my camera to capture them scrabbling and hissing at my feet.

Off by the far fence, away from the onlookers, two swans formed that heart picture over and over, interested only in each other. Maybe if we had waited we might have seen spring really get going!

Back in the car we turned up the heater and sipped on our Timmie hot chocolates. Mmmm, good. Spring breezes would be a few days yet.