Yay Stegner; Workshop a Go

Sunday night, walking half-consciously due to the stupor of sleep, I crashed my right foot into the bedpost, so yesterday I was hobbling around as little as possible, using a cane. My foot is profoundly painful. Two toes are as dark as the darkest grapes.

I walked for an hour with Stacy and felt fine, but once home, searing pain set in, so I spent as much of the day as I could on the chaise with a book. 

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Wallace Stegner may be my favourite writer of all time. That position, until now, was held by Abraham Lincoln. The Gettysburg address is the most brilliant thing I have ever read. I went to London once, long, long ago, to see an exhibition on it and felt it was worth every cent it cost me to attend. But now, Mr. Stegner has gained equal status of my esteem.

Some great writers try too hard. Have you read Ulysses? I do not care for ‘showy’ writing. With Stegner, his excellence, his brilliance, feels completely natural. It doesn’t feel forced. I first read Angle of Repose, his Pulitzer Prize winning novel about the American west. It’s long been my favourite book, but I never ventured into his other works until yesterday when I commenced Crossing to Safety. Soon I’ll be buying more of his novels. I love this man’s extraordinary skill and humanity. Yum!

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I was startled and thrilled to hear yesterday that the workshop I proposed to the Canadian Stuttering Association has been accepted and that I will be leading it. I had such a great time at last year’s conference (online as will be this year’s program), I’m very proud to be part of this year’s event. It’s happening in just over two weeks.

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Stacy came to pick me up and take me to dinner at The Surf. I can’t walk quickly, so I hobbled into the restaurant. But boy we had fun! Stacy and I get along very well. It’s always a hoot being with her.

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My whole right foot is now grotesquely swollen. I can walk, but I go slowly. My toes are still purple and I’m treating this injury with rest. I’m spending the day on the chaise reading and waving to walkers by.

No Bomb Here

Sunday afternoon at about one o’clock, it got very, very dark and rain started pouring down. There was no wind though. The darkness was astounding, however, and so was the sound of the rain on the roof. By 2:25, it was back to normal daylight and light rain. I love the deep rainstorms when the power doesn’t go out and I have a fire on. It’s so, so cozy at Pinecone Park. By 3:00 there were some sunny periods.

And so far, my power has not gone off. Last night, however, my friends Jessica and Todd called from Victoria where they were experiencing the full force of the ‘bomb cyclone.’ The news reports reveal the tremendous impact of the storm: all the ferry sailings are cancelled, trees are down and power is out in many places up and down the coast.

Stacy just wrote (it’s 8:15 am) and she’s had no power since 8:30 last night. Her power is still off and won’t be on until noon. She lives at the south end, and as Victoria is at the south end of the big island, I’m guessing the winds are coming from the south. As I’m inland, I guess I’m being protected by the trees.

Obviously, today will be another indoor day. Tonight, Stacy and I have a reservation at The Surf for dinner, but we’ll see if that plan comes to fruition much later in the day. If they have no power, The Surf is on the coast, our plans may have to change. Right now, Stacy is on her way here to recharge her phone and we’ll walk our dogs while they charge. 

Bomb Cyclone: Not So Far

After our dinner at Stacey’s, I came home and watched some television. Not for long, but during my brief time watching, I saw five Christmas ads. In October. Really?

Saturday night was lovely and mellow. A storm is expected tonight and tomorrow. Our big dog walk is cancelled, and power failures are expected. I hate the wind. I’ve had branches through a roof, a dent put in my car and my ‘garage’ frame was damaged. Plus, plants get crushed or severed. And I hate using the generator. It makes a lot of noise—however, I can barely hear it inside the house.

I’m loved my Zoom this morning with my fellow stutterers from BC. We all love our group gatherings. Now, I rest up because this afternoon I’m Zooming with my theatre friends.

My symptoms ebb and flow. They were low all Summer, but the tide is high right now. I could barely speak to Sheba last night. I often ebb in Autumn; I don’t know why, but all things pass. If Were I a mystic, I’d blame the incoming storm!  This morning’s Zoom was hard, but I could get words out reasonably well. I hope this afternoon is better.

It’s now 12:40 and so far, no major wind or rain at all. The expected ‘bomb cyclone’ is not reaching us here on the island. Hooray for that. The storm was predicted to arrive this morning and last until late tomorrow, but ….