Hate Crime

Monday began with a dog walk with my friends. It was bright, clear and warm. We were all full of love for our friendships and the beauty of the forest in the morning. It’s such a lovely, calm and quiet time of year and day. And when I got home, it was time for watering the gardens. But … I only watered the most desperate because it’s predicted to rain today. 

I also did more cleaning in the studio, cleaning stains off the tiles on the floor, putting things into containers and into storage on the shelves, cleaning the windows and throwing more things out. Slowly, the studio is becoming beautifully clean and ordered. I hope it rains today so that tomorrow I can burn some of the costume detritus. 

I did some more raking of the yard yesterday, as well, plus I loaded all the detritus into the wheelbarrow and dumped it in my waste pile. I love these days of puttering around the yard, house and studio. Each little thing I do makes Pinecone Park look and feel better. It’s a never-ending task, but I love it. Plus, I’m chuffed that Bronwyn is coming this afternoon to begin a consultation about the gardens. I’m hoping with h er expertise, and some money, I can make the gardens look even better. I’ll likely hire her to do some of the work, and then Pete and I can do some together.

Ron came by at 1:00 to walk Sheba. He is such a mensch. Once they’d left, I called Steve on FaceTime. He’s in Vancouver and when he answered, he was in the backyard of the house where he is staying, with Dwight. My 2 favourite men were together. Then I was back at work cleaning up all the forest fall from the weed fields. I can’t do much of that kind of work anymore. It makes my back hurt. As soon as I feel any pain, I stop working and rest.

I had a couple of seizures in the afternoon. Each time one came on, I made my way to the deck steps and sat down. Her Highness was on me in seconds. She notices my breathing changes right away, and she comes to like any available skin. It moves me deeply that I have so empathetic a dogger. She is the most excellent partner.

I was finished with the tidying of the weed fields at 3:30. Then I was onto cleaning more windows before calling it a day, slipping into the spa and then donning nice clean clothes to chill for the night in my lovely smarter-looking cool home. It’s wonderfully comfortable in the house, regardless of the overheated day.

The forecast has changed. There’ll be no rain today after all. I never doubted that there’d be no rain. So, this morning, I’ll water the gardens I skipped yesterday, then I go to see Jennifer (my nurse practitioner), and then Bronwyn comes to consult about the gardens. Whoppee!

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What a shock I had yesterday! For the past several days, there’s been a lot of angry posts about white supremacist stickers popping up around the island. And yesterday, there was a car parked in the Nester’s parking lot with signs painted on it: “Gays, lesbians and transgenders are pedophiles.” Hate has come to the island.

This morning, Nula, a friend outraged by the stickers and sign, told me that a Gabriolan had captured images of the person putting up the stickers, and it’s a guy I know, and thought was a fine man. I hire his partner to groom Sheba, and I often run into the two of them when Her Highness and I are walking the forest trails.

Now, of course, I want to speak my mind if I see him, but I worry about how that might impact my relationship with his awesome partner. Instead, therefore, I’ve decided to ask him if it was him and if he is a white supremacist. And if he cops to the stickers, I will have to tell him that spreading hate against people of colour is reprehensible.