It didn’t seem to me though, watching the footage, that there was much choice in where the ferry impacted. There seemed to be little steering involved. Things just happened to go wrong at a point in the manouvre where the damage would be least. What’s more, with the Canada day weekend it’s a complete miracle that no-one was aboard any of the vessels that were crushed. The only inconvenience – a few stranded passengers and some big backlogs for travelers. Like 911, the whole sickening scene has been played over and over on the news and it’s good fascination fodder. You can’t help feel sorry for the folks whose weekends are messed up and the business owners whose summer income is hooped, but watching that massive floating parking-lot drift helplessly into tiny matchbox-by-comparison boats, desperately sounding its haunting note is like staring at a thousand cars in ditches, a million kittens being rescued from a tree, a hundred domestic arguments played out in the street. What is it about the human psychy that makes us need to look?
After watching the news on Thursday night I went to the pub and gave my future neighbour and her foetus(es) a hug. Yes, she thinks she’s having two at the rate she’s growing.
On Friday I did some more edging around the lawn lying on the grass in my bikini for it was hot, so hot. After lunch I gave up and came inside with the deck doors wide open to do some more curtain-making but we had beer with lunch at 3pm so I didn’t really get much done before we went to bubble in the hot tub on-cool. Who needs a pool?
This time last year we went to pick up The Boy from the airport. Whilst we were killing an hour before his flight came in we ended up at Pier 1 Imports which is a bit like a small Ikea but more… ethnic. There we managed to get a stripey rug to brighten up our future living room at some exceptional deal. For some reason I suggested on Saturday morning that we take a trip to our nearest Big City to look for curtain poles and bathroom mirrors for this Big City has a number of stores that our local city does not, including Pier 1 imports. Much to our joy it was again the once a year sale and we picked up two large, moderately expensive pewter mirrors for the price of one – RESULT.
In the afternoon I spent time in the basement putting my best racing bike, “Red” together for the first time since July last year.
On Sunday I had a wonderful bonding session with Red and realised my best friends have nicknamed their daughter the same as my best bike. It obviously wasn’t on purpose since she has flaming red hair like her mum but I’ll always think of them now when I’m out on Red. We rode up to Indian Rock where Gravy lives, from whom we bought our land. I have never been before. It’s an amazing little community on the cliff-side which looks south down the lake to the city in the distance. There’s a torrent of a creek that passes through Indian Rock which actually passes as one long waterfall it’s so steep. It was amazing. The air was blue, the sky was so bright.
On the way back I was caught up by a honey on an ultra-light bike, out riding from the village holiday centre where he’s on hols with his family. He tolerated my gasped sentences and hung back for a chat which was nice but I burned my legs off trying not to slow him down too much, my lungs being like the bag of mucus they are.
Red held together well for all my tinkering on Saturday afternoon. The wheels stayed properly attached to the frame and the gears and brakes worked which was a relief on Indian Rock hill. Still, I didn’t have the nerve to ride the Canadian cattle grids which are 4” round steel tubes on 10” centres. Still I wouldn’t have done Red proud if I didn’t have to jump off and run across something.
Back chez nous, hubby was playing with the toad and had hardly missed me. I cleaned up around the house, satisfied with my little soujourn into the outdoors and even cleaned BOTH bathrooms! By 3pm though we were both craving something different again so we walked to the beach and I had my first swim of the year. It was remarkably easy to get into the cold water for the first time. Once I was in upto my shorts I kinda went for it with a few sharp, breathy strokes before I got used to the water temperature. Summer really is here and she’s watching the swallows catching flies from the surface of the water before her eyes and seeing the osprey finish their nest ready for the hatchlings.
said...
I spent Friday afternoon at work of all places. Brought my little dog in to keep me company. Then I spent the rest of the weekend attempting to nurse my older dog back to moderate health.
Trepid Explorer said...
Oh poor older dog. Hope (s)he's weller again.