Faithful readers will know that I have been living in my Edmonton apartment since June 3, 2002. Extremely faithful viewers will have seen the views from my windows. Perhaps seen photographs of me on on the legislative grounds partying it up on Canada Day.
But here is what almost no one knows, faithful or not faithful I could not figure out what was going on right next door to me. Limos would pull up constantly disgorging women in long dresses and men in finery.
Me: What in the world are they doing? There must be something there. I wonder what it is.
Alter Ego: Why don’t you go down there and walk around.
Me: I will some day but it is difficult moving back to the city you left 55 years ago. I had to go furniture, get a doctor, get a physical therapist, find a restaurant or two, find a place to buy groceries, set up a kitchen. I have no time to just walk around in my big back yard!
Alter Ego: But you wasted the better part of two days texting an Abu Dhabi man.
Me: I admit that, but in he end I stopped . It was, in retrospect, a waste of time.
Alter Ego: Why was that?
Me: He did not seem to listen, would not answer important questions, seemed to have a shadowy existence. I tried to get answers to important questions but he just seemed to slither away.
Alter Ego: What do you mean?
Me: Slither is the same as squirm, wriggle, snake, worm, slink, creep, and crawl. He would not answer direct questions but wriggle away. I became very frustrated. I just finally blocked him on Instagram – that left me with some time to explore my horizons, so to speak. I did and have had two absolutely glorious days.
The weather was magnificent. I did discover on Canada Day that the legislative buildings are in the exact opposite direction of where I thought they would be. So I took a few steps into the entrance seen for many days and made a left. It is really confusing as there are no signs to tell you about what the buildings are, or represent. There are trail maps but often buildings and entrances are not labelled. It is all a big mystery. There is something called a periscope – with a mirror that is high in the sky. Took a picture of it and put it on Instagram. When there met a family from Denmark, tourists visiting because the daughter and son were hockey players. Talked with them at length – it was so interesting. Then, while walking toward the Alberta Legislative Building met two black families who lived in Edmonton. They were there taking photos. One woman was celebrating her thirtieth birthday – the photographer snapping pictures of her dressed in a beautiful green dress. The grounds are beautiful with grass, trees, flower beds. It was a site to behold and was there – a hop, skip and a jump from my home. A hop, skip and jump means a very short distance. It is an expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally referred to an exercise or game involving these movements, but by the mid-1800s was also being used figuratively for a short distance so covered.
The families walked down a set of stairs to another level of beautifully sculptured lawn, trees and flowers. However, my knees prevented my walking down the stairs. The level I was on confined a memorial garden dedicated to a woman of so many talents. A plaque honored her and spoke of her philosophy of life. Of course I took a photograph of it, to remember it and to use on this blog.
Walked around the Legislative Building which was encased in scaffolding, but there was a sign that said Free Tours. Scaffolding, by the way, is a temporary structure on the outside of a building, made usually of wooden planks and metal poles, used by workers while building, repairing, or cleaning the building. Another sign said to enter by the West entrance. With a great deal of trouble found the west entrance, meeting a very helpful Security guard. We chatted, he is a retired policeman. He and many of his colleagues work this gig, largely to entertain themselves and keep themselves out of trouble. But he told me of a well kept secret. Any person could go through security and if they passed could go to the Legislative Cafeteria where for a mere six dollars Canadian have the breakfast special. Mondays: pancakes and bacon. Tuesday: Omelette with everything Wednesday: Eggs Benedict. I promised I would come back and avail myself of their hospitality.
That day went for lunch. Had the veggie burger with small fries and a coke. Happily walked home and on the way stopped to speak to three women gardeners. I was absolutely delighted to learn that this was their summer job. They were students at my alma mater, the University of Alberta. When winter comes everything freezes up but they will be in warm centrally heated classrooms. What is that song? Nice Work If You Can Get it.
Here are the beginning lyrics to the song by George Gershwin.
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath a starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you try
Strolling with the one girl
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you try
Just imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything more?
I do think that the more could be belief in One God. Google the song, there is a great version sung by Mel Torme.
Today it was the Eggs Benedict. They were delicious. Had them without the ham, but they were perfect and I enjoyed then dark roast coffee.
The first photograph is me reflected in the periscope mirror, the one on Instagram with the following caption. Tried to do this as a story but I goofed. That is me on my first walk around the Legislative Grounds across the street from my apartment. First walk and been un apartment since June 4. Pathetic! Will talk about on blog in a couple of days.
The flower garden tended by my University students is pictured and well as the plaque at the Lois Hole Garden. She, an incredibly gifted and talented woman finding the time for gardening. Her ‘motto” Caring is the soul of gardening. You can also see the Eggs Benedict.
