snowshoe

The smooth, white surface lay at my feet, stretching around the field from fence line to fence line. It was smooth, but not flat, the contours of the land were highlighted by the blanket which blurred the features and added a few of its own. Patterns in the snowdrifts caught my eye. My snowshoes sunk a bit more in the snow but still supported my weight where I would otherwise  be past my knees, my boots filling up with cold crystals, at one with the deep snow rather than on top like a conquering hero. The sun shone with all its might trying to vanquish the cold. Wind dropped at the sun's insistence.

It was glorious.

Each step brought me deeper into the photograph, my footsteps maring the perfect scene. Other footprints crossed in front of me, I turned to Christina for her opinion. Fox. She would know, living as she does close to nature on her farm. I pulled off my gloves and opened my coat a bit more; I was warm with exertion and the radiant heat from the sun. I tipped my head to the sky and smiled. This, every moment of this, would be in my list of things to be grateful for. I glanced at Christina - did she know she'd also be in my list, especially because she shook me out of my lazy afternoon and encouraged this trip into Eden.

I've been playing the 70s music channel on the satellite - the familiar music is a salve for overexposure to American politics. It's like I've been frozen in time and am unable to escape the chords of Johnny Nash's 'I can see clearly now', which has become a bit of an earworm…

an uncomfortable grimace

We got to see a draft of the video today… the videographers did a really good job putting together the audio and the b-roll background, but I will admit to squirming as I watched myself stumble over words and say the wrong thing. Some might have thought I was grinning as I watched, but it was an uncomfortable grimace that almost brought tears to my eyes - you know when you laugh but it isn't funny. Oh my, it is hard to watch myself on film…

Grace will be pleased with her appearance and the dogs should be ecstatic over their role, even Carm can be pleased.

Cathey (our friend who is the producer of the book, video and website), took Spike's old, much too small, Service Dog vest for some alterations. He is expected at the book signing party in his old uniform. Gulp. He hasn't been in public for quite a number of years, I hope we can pull this off. I wish there was a good place to practice.

Writing group was enjoyable this morning, although I will admit to having to struggle to get out of bed - when the time changes in a few weeks I'll start getting up a little earlier every day.

Here are a few pleasures in my day: waking up to the sun; going outside to scrape the truck and finding no ice; better still, Carm deciding that he'd take the truck today so I could take the car; the smell of sweet potato, red pepper and tomato soup simmering on the stove; visiting with Cathey; delicious chicken shwarma sandwiches; being outside in the late afternoon enjoying the strong sun; listening to 'I can see clearly now'.

much ado about nothing

Tuesday we battened up the hatches for another winter storm, shorter this time and 'only' 25 cm of snow forecast, but thankfully on 10 ended up on the ground. I wonder where the rest ended up? Needless to say it was another snowblower day for Carm, while I cleared off the decks.

We settled in for a cosy night with neighbors Trudie & Leo, to share the evening. I actually fed them - it is usually Trudie feeding us. One of the last times they came for dinner she suggested that we have potluck in the future, and she'd bring the meat. She must have forgotten that we don't cook meat here ;-)

Saturday night we went to my parents for supper and got to see my brother, Olaf, and his family again - it is great that they live so close! My parents are over the moon happy at the opportunity to see more of their granddaughter, Freya. I'm happy to see her too. They are in the middle of trying to find a house, so that's very exciting for all of us - it makes their move real.

It is amazing that two people could do so little in 2 days that I have nothing to write about except clearing snow and what other people are doing with their lives. I could write about trying to write a story for tomorrow's WYL meeting, and how the words just didn't flow - it was hard work and I'm not happy with the result, but what am I gonna do about it. It's not like I can channel Stephen Leacock.

Our big excitement Tuesday morning was getting up at 6:40 to try to make a reservation at Presquile. We weren't lucky though so will try for another site on Saturday (better double check that as now I'm thinking it might be another day - too stunned at 7am to get the details right). In the olden days, I used to be at work by 6:40am and practically a full day's worth of work done by 7am. Those days are lost in the mist of time.

This is a terribly written post that jumps around in time like a pogo stick...