Tuesday began at 4:30 am thanks to Fred who’s still on Daylight Savings Time. I tossed and turned until 5:00, and then I got up to light the fire. The house is quite chill now in the mornings, so I am always keen to get the fire lit, and all the animals gather around the heat for their morning naps.
Henri arrived at 9:00 and Sheba and I went for a short walk. Being such a gorgeous day, a long walk was something to look forward to in the afternoon. Henri is self-reliant. He keeps busy doing things on his own; I don’t have to tell him what to do. But when he comes ever week as he’s been doing, it frightens me how much I am spending. But it feels good to have all my floral babies so well looked after. Come Winter, I will tell him not to come back until Springtime.
I joined him for a while, cleaning up the courtyard and deck. Everything is deeply coated in Fir needles, cones, twigs and branches after Sunday night’s big storm. And every time I or Sheba goes outside, in comes gazillions of needles. I must vacuum every day. And as I was vacuuming in my bedroom, I found and rescued a cute little mousie and set it free in the yard.
I went to bed early, knowing what I was in for over the next two days.
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Wednesday, I got out of bed quickly when I wakened. It was 5:00 am, I had an hour to pack everything I needed, clean the cats’ litterbox, build a fire and load up the car. We bolted sharply at 6:00; after a 3-minute wait, we were on board the ferry headed to Nanaimo.
We went directly to the park to give Her Highness the opportunity to do her business before we got onto the big ferry to go from the big island to the mainland. It’s a 90-minute trip. I always have a reservation, and I am always early at the terminal so that I am near the front of the line, and close to the light on the highest parking deck. Being on deck one enables me to remain in my car with H.H.
We arrived on time. I disembarked at 10:10 and drove directly to Davie Street where, thank God, I was able to find a parking spot. I put H.H. (henceforth to be known as H2) on the leash and walked three blocks to the park where I was to meet Bruce at 11:00. I was exactly on time, so Bruce and I had half an hour to walk H2 in the park and gossip and judge together.
Then I put H2 in the car on the bed in the back, with food and water, and Bruce and I went to Banana Leaf for laksa. I don’t think I’ve had laksa ever in the past nine years. It was once a regular part of my diet, and recalling how delightful it was, I asked Bruce if we could go for some together. He’d never had laksa, nor had he ever tasted roti canai, so I ordered both for us, and Bruce loved them. I was very happy to have introduced him to new dishes.
We walked back to the car where I said goodbye to Bruce, I fed and watered H2 and then I headed off to St. Paul’s to meet Jill. I was put through many short memory and mobility tests, asked a lot of questions and had some personal time with Jill who heads the study I’m in. She’s studying the effects of long-term adherence to the drugs used in HIV therapeutics.
I drive directly to John and Bunny from the hospital. We had a short visit at the house, and then we all went down to Ambleside beach to walk on the seawall that is an off-leash for dogs. It was grand to be walking where I grew up. I huge part of my life growing up was on this same seawall and playing in the surrounding fields. When I was a kid, there was a large outdoor swimming pool where we walked today, but it is long gone.
Then we went. home for tea and a lovely relaxing chat before dinner. And dinner, as always at J&B’s, was divine. We had chicken, but it was surrounded by big watermelon-like wedges of baked cabbage. It was the most delicious dish imaginable. I’ll be getting the recipe and making that for myself and for friends who come to visit.
Then to bed for a good long and deep sleep.
I was up early, of course, and H2 and I snuck out for a walk in the nearby park. Then we came home to find John up and about, so soon we were all assembled for breakfast and then I was off to the ferry for the return trip.
We came home on a gorgeous day, and the travelling went smoothly. I stay in the car with H2 so we’re both content through the voyage, and when we arrived, we only had a five-minute wait to board the ferry. (We were the last car loaded!) And oh my God it felt good to be home.
It was cold in the house after no fires for two days. So, lighting a roaring blaze was the first thing in order. Then all were fed and we all settled down for a nice cozy evening together, happy to be reunited.
It was an entirely good trip, but nothing, absolutely nothing, beats being here at Pinecone Park. I am blessed with such wonderful friendships. John and Bunny are as family to me. John and I bonded when we met in 1972.
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