I am getting behind and I am blogging every day – how can this be? I am not going to be stupid enough to blog twice a day. Enough is enough.
The weirdest thing that happened yesterday came from listening to a song. I got very unhappy listening to Once Upon A Time, it is a song that seemed particularly apt. (I do get to have some secrets and I am not telling exactly why.) So attempting to hide my tears I climbed the stairs and climbed in the bed with ironed sheets and cried, lots and lots of tears. Then I did some writing, all with YouTube playing. i think I might have even nodded off, even though I never nap. But I awoke and found a hilarious David Sidaris ‘diary,’ a story featured as part of the New Yorker subscription service. I began reading it and was consumed in laughter, my raucous version. He is so funny and sort of like me. Then I noticed the background music – Bing Crosby was singing Have Yourself a Merry Christmas. How did this come about? I hate Christmas. YouTube did it to me, I hardly ever do YouTube stuff and now I see why. I will not again, if what one gets in the long run is Christmas music. I came downstairs and showed Gail. So if one of your doubters do not believe this all happened you could ask her.
Then today the song Love Me or Leave Me came to mind and wouldn’t go away. It came out of the blue, just like Once Upon A Time came yesterday. I foolishly YouTubed it and got the Billie Holiday version – perfect, the words, the attitude, the tone. I know what to do to prevent the sudden occurrence of Christmas carols as learning from past mistakes is a specialty.. I am listening to it as I write, It is so applicable except in this way. I was the one who left…as always. There are no tears today and no Christmas music – so perfect.
The last two days have been spent making plans for the near future. Climb on Via Rail on Friday, jump off in Edmonton. Hotel reservations made, in the downtown area and a place with good memories of a time fifty years ago. After a week then it is back on the train, stopping in Saskatoon for a few days, staying at a downtown hotel. Via Rail refused to lay track between Saskatoon and Regina so I shall be forced to take a plane, a bus or rent a car and drive. I have made reservations at an Air B&B in Regina that is only 1.1K from my cousin’s home on Dryburgh Crescent. Dryburgh Crescent is named for Uncle Dave Dryburgh, the subject of my biography, I work diligently in Regina and finish the book. Then back on the train – from Saskatoon as probably no track will be laid by then. I emerge triumphantly in Toronto on July 4th to be met by friends Bruce and Nancy who then cleverly leave the next day for Saskatchewan. I am not feeling rejected, it is for good reason. So in their absence i will visit with cousin Janet and the Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy which is housed in Hamilton, Ontario. From there on in plans get a bit iffy but stay tuned.
I read this quote from Mark Twain in a book entitled Keep Calm and Carry On. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I definitely did that and will continue to explore, dream, discover. I do wish a couple of people in my life would do the same, but it is doubtful and would prove more than a bit messy if more than one did so.
Today is Easter Sunday and for the first time in years and years and years I am going to a family dinner. Cousin Geri and her family are hosting the event. It will be such a treat and I am so looking forward to it.
The accompanying pictures are the result of a walk. One is a cherry tree in blossom just down the street. The other is a beer can. Molson Canadian is my favorite Canadian beer. I said to the proprietor: Don’t you have a smaller version?” “Not unless you get a six pack” “But I am walking, I can’t carry a whole six pack!” So I got the big guy and drank it all up.
Once Upon a Time; Love Me or Leave Me; More Travels; Mark Twain and a Walk
