I do admit that I am feeling a bit guilty about trashing my two and a half year London experience. Guilty because there were wonderful people there, as a matter of fact. One of my potential books is called: 1002(?) Days in London: The Institutions That Flayed Me: The Friends That Rescued Me. I will name a few of them, those friends that saved me. There was David, Greg, Matthew, Marcus, the staff at the wondrous Rex Whistler restaurant at the Tate Britain, Sabz and her brother, Omar, Gisseppi I and II, actually almost everyone at the Help Desk at Dolphin Square, Brian, the other Brian, my blessed personal trainer; all of the staff at the Dolphin Fitness Club; my chance encounter with Eileen last New Year’s Eve; my wonderful Pooja, and those at our favorite Mexican Restaurant; the staff at Paul’s. There was the staff at Dr. Sandberg’s office. It seems that this list is going on and on. Of course (and last but not least) there was Madeline who introduced me to Chris Jackson who, I consider, the founder of this blog. If you are living in London and knew me and are not named then you have two choices; you can decide that the omission was inadvertence or on purpose. You can decide. There you go! But perhaps this riddle will summarize London.
Chappie: What is the best thing about London?
Me: I give up.
Chappie: You give up too easy.
Me: That’s what all the guys say.
Chappie: Heathrow Airport
There you go is a Canadian expression. I frighten myself – I find myself speaking Canadian all of a sudden. Someone last night commented upon my accent, she was utterly confused. Before my Canadian ‘immersion’ my ‘vocal fry’ (Google it) labelled me a Californian. But now I shall confuse the whole world (and myself) with my accent. But I swear to every God (there might be) that I shall never, ever, end sentences with Eh?. I did not before 1967 and I will not now. So there! So there!
I shall speak further of my Sunday when I celebrated in fine style becoming a born again Canadian. There was, in the beginning the Greek Festival in Kits. It was one of the best events I have ever attended and boy have I ever attended events in my seventy-four years. The music, for one thing, was the very best. At one point they sang the national anthem and I became a puddle of tears. Cecilia took a video of the event that has a surprise ending. I will attempt to attach it to the blog but I am not sure it this by possible.
After the delights of the Greek Festival it was off to the last day of the Dragon Boat competition at False Creek. Lots of oaring going on. The crowds happy and delightful. The event has grown in the past few years. I decided to break down and have one beer. I convinced them to ask for my I.D. – boy did we all laugh. Pictures to be attached.
But here is the funniest part – although I guess you had to be there. We drove in Cecilia’s BMW between Kits and False Creek. As usual I took my shoes off but when we got to False Creek I was missing one shoe. We looked everywhere in the car but no shoe was to be found. We finally gave up in disgust and laughter. Cecilia fortunately had an extra pair of shoes in the car and if I didn’t put them on properly they would suffice. They did. A picture of the shoes and me will also be attached.
Me: Does your BMW have a habit of eating shoes.
Cecilia: Not that I know of.
Spoiler Alert: They were eventually found in the new purse I had purchased at the Greek Festival, for a mere ten dollars (Canadian).
Here is an absolutely perfect quote from my gift from Triple S. Tom Robbins said: “It is never too late to have a happy childhood. “ I appear to be proving that adage.
