David's Travel Day

 saturday

Saturday began on a very low note. David called from London to say that he required an “ETA” to travel to Canada, and he didn’t know that until late last night, and he’s scheduled to leave around mid-day today. There’s nothing I can do to help fix the situation; all I could do was hope that his permit arrived electronically overnight. 

The news crushed me. I’ve decorated for Christmas for the first time in my life, and I don’t want to life in this festiveness if he doesn’t come. It will make me sad; the flowers and wreath will remind me of missed opportunities if I leave them in place. I’ve been so looking forward to his visit. And all that money wasted—two flights, London/Vancouver, and two flights Vancouver/Gabriola. I’m not a rich man.

I felt shitty all day. After I walked Her Highness in the morning, I went to bed, not to sleep, but to escape. I was so sad about David’s likely cancellation. I just hope he will go to the airport and get a credit with Air Canada so that he can come another time.

I didn’t stay in bed long. I was antsy, so I got up and cleaned the shed. I took a bunch of stuff to the recycling station, went to the village to pick up a prescription that was not there. It’s been back ordered for days. And then I came home to bake some cookies, to clean up and to chop some wood.

All day, I bemoaned the crash of my holiday plans with David. Plus, I can’t see very well at all out of my eye. It hurts, I am constantly blinking, and I can’t see clearly what I’m writing, even with my reading glasses. I scan what I’m writing with a nice big magnifying glass that Paula gave me long ago. Paula, by the way, who was to come with David, is sick.

AT 10:30 I heard two emails arrive. David has his form and is coming as scheduled. I was giddy when I went to bed.

Saturday night, I watched a movie about Jon Batiste on Netflix. I’d never heard of him, and pop music doesn’t really interest me. But there was a line in the description from a review that said something about the film being the best portrayal of love in the music industry recorded on screen. Something like that. So, I watched it.

Jon Batist is THE most charismatic person I’ve ever seen. Juilliard educated, amazing dresser, and extraordinarily talented and original. Intelligent, poetic, acrobatic, and the owner of the most beautiful fingers in the world. He is haut couture, he is Christian. And he is married to a columnist in the New York Tmes, and very, very, much more than that. Watch the film.

sunday

Sunday was a decent day. There was no rain and it was quite bright and mild. There was no sign of bad weather coming that might threaten Paula’s and David’s flight on Monday.

I went into the village after walking Her Highness, to meet Kelly and Jay for breakfast at Ground Up. I hadn’t seen Kelly for a while, so our welcome hug lasted a few minutes. I adore Kelly. She is Jay’s sister, and it’s through her I met Jay.

Then I went shopping and came home to cook and bake. I made a big pot of green pea soup with lots of ham in it, and then I baked a tart with an almond paste base and mangos on top with black sesame seeds scattered on it. I’ve never made a mango tart before, but I’m pleased with how it went and looks. The test will be how it tastes; I’ll find out Monday night.

I was kept very busy with the tart in the oven and the soup on the stove. I wasn’t done until 2:30. I didn’t clean up. Instead, I took Her Highness to the park to play fetch. She absolutely can’t get enough of fetch. Then it was home to clean up and to chill and hopefully hear from David saying that he’s arrived safely and found Paula at the airport.

I loved out afternoon game of fetch. The air was so deliciously fragrant, and there is rarely anyone else in the park. I loved being outdoors because it was so fragrant and mild. Winter is being very gentle this year—so far. We will walk a lot, David, Sheba and I, and I am really looking forward to that.

Soon, I should hear from David, and tonight, I rest and watch TV. I can hardly wait for tomorrow and dinner with Paula and David. I’m going to really enjoy showing Pinecone Park to David.

sidebar

Dwight called me on Saturday morning, and I told him that I was sad because it seemed like David wouldn’t be coming. Later in the afternoon, he called again to say that he was going to come over for a visit. Then, on Sunday afternoon, he called again to make plans for which days to come, and I told him David was coming after all. He then cancelled his plans to come until the new year, saying he’d decided to come because David had bailed. He is the best friend I could have. I am so, so very lucky he and I are brothers.