Teenagers have always been melodramatic. 

And the drama isn't any more mellow in the early 21st century than it was in the mid 20th. For the last six weeks Jinhee has been part of my life. I've really enjoyed talking with her, having dinners together, watching her strike poses and click pictures on her phone, getting her to move around things that are too heavy for me and watching her youthful swings from attentive to distracted or from hopelessly in love to determinedly independent. Youth isn't wasted on the young; it's inflicted on them, and a good thing too. The old could never take it. Whenever my life has started to border on the boring, Jay or one of his gang has entered to shake it up a bit, give me a boost which I couldn't live without. It helps me appreciate the fact that the pace of my life is suited to a person of my age. 

The last three days with Jin were crazy. I picked her up just before noon on Monday, and we drove to the airport in high spirits, arriving 3 hours before her plane for Seattle was scheduled to take off. Three hours and twenty minutes later she was loading her luggage back in my car. The tale is too aggravating to dwell on here. Suffice it to say that even though she was just switching planes in Seattle, Alaskan Airlines couldn't let her board without either a visa for the USA or an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). We did our best to get the latter on line at the airport with a lot of help from a wonderful Alaskan Air employee but no luck. They even kept their baggage conveyor open an extra 20 minutes but the ESTA was still not processed. The woman who had helped us said that the approval of the ESTA application used to be very fast but in the last year it has really slowed down. So after 3hours and 20 minutes Jinhee was loading her luggage into my car again. We drove back home and finally, by 8:30 that night, had everything organized for her flight to Incheon on Wednesday. We kicked back, had something to eat and went to rest in our rooms. We had had a few laughs during the day; got to work on our patience, which neither one of us excels at naturally and both had a good night's sleep. Jin felt as if she was in a fine hotel because the room and bed she had shared with Min seemed so much bigger when she was alone in them, and the shower is powerful and even had her favourite shampoo, left by her mom when she returned to Korea. On Wednesday we had to rise at 5:45am to make her new flight. This one was with Air Canada and did not touch down in the USA. All went well. She's safely back in Korea and my feeling that it's best to avoid the US for the moment has been reinforced. 

Jin on her way to customs after our farewell breakfast at Tim's

Sunday, December 1 The first snow of the winter falls in town. I think it will stay for the winter, so I set the snowman Jin made the first winter they were here on guard. 

On Monday I have an appointment to find out the results of the MRI.  

 The organ recital of old age

I'll begin in this way since I mentioned last time that I expected a miracle from my favourite physio on November 21. As I suspected, we are not living in an age of miracles. At his office, I again put on a pair of one-size-fits-all shorts and had my knee examined. He's older, manipulated the joint with more authority and was more definitive in his diagnosis of the problem, a torn meniscus. He described it using an analogy with a washer. That made me laugh because just this week I had come to the same conclusion about the problem with my ancient espresso maker which had been sputtering for ages. I was given it by a colleague at North Dundas District High school in 1973 and had only replaced the washer once, I think. At any rate I replaced it and it works perfectly again. I don't have such high hopes for myself, the human body is more complex than those old espresso makers, but I am now faithfully doing the new set of exercises I was given. One thing that could almost be classified as a miracle; however, is the fact that I was called by the hospital on Friday and have an appointment for an MRI this Tuesday afternoon. I readily accepted but then had second thoughts because the physio had given me a confident diagnosis and told me that the latest research indicates that in cases like mine physio works better than surgery. However my own inclination to accept all good luck and Miriam's agreement have kept me on the list for Tuesday. This knee has limited activity to an ever changing variety of physio exercises in my ever-being-modified spare bedroom/ healing centre. I have jerry-rigged gear that would amaze even my dad, the master of making do. That and walking to medical appointments now makes up most of my activity. 

Life as a spectator continues. On Monday evening I walked to the Towne Cinema to meet a friend and watch the film club's presentation of a documentary, "Honeyland."  It's an amazing presentation of the life of a middle aged Macedonian beekeeper and her old mother. The countryside is awe inspiring and their stark life in tune with it until a breathlessly rowdy family of seven moves into the surrounding ruins. I've never seen anything that so clearly juxtaposes the vast and silent rhythms of nature with the noisy acquisitiveness of humanity. Yesterday I went again with Miriam to watch 'Live from the Met.' And again I really liked it. The opera was "Akhnaten" by Philip Glass. I've seen another opera of his. Phelim McDermott was in charge of both productions. He's a genius. The visual element perfectly matched the music. I loved it. The role of Akhnaten is played by the counter tenor Anthony Roth Costanzo whom I had never heard of. His voice is very high and yet seems effortless. His entire body was waxed for the role because he first appears almost naked as a young man. I really laughed at his answer to a question he was asked about the waxing during an interview at intermission. He jokingly responded that he was used to it; that's how he got his high voice in the first place. 

The physio workout room. You can see from all the horizontal and soft gear that I am not doing rigorous training.  That's what I like about physio. It's targeted without being strenuous, at least in my experience. I have included my espresso buddy in the shot. Lucky for it the dried out and cracked washer was quickly replaced by a lovely flexible new one. My old meniscus is another story. 

It's a cool , rainy Friday in the Okanagan

The snow that fell in Vernon last Sunday night had gone by Tuesday, but there is enough in the hills now for Sovereign and Silver Star to have opened for Xcountry skiing yesterday. I will not be among the first to try it out. I still can't even walk any distance. But I'm ramping up the remedies. I saw the doctor again yesterday and convinced her to get me on the list for an MRI. She convinced me to start taking an analgesic because the pain was making me move in weird ways that were causing pain in places other than my left knee. I am continuing to do the exercises the physio gave me and on November 21 will finally see the physio who helped me so much with my shoulder problems years ago. He's very popular for good reason. Of course I'm expecting that he will preform a miracle. And as is always the case, the day after I finally made some serious moves my knee feels better than it has in ages. But that's probably the analgesic talking. I haven't been drinking. 

Jin came for dinner last week and will again tonight. She has helped me with a few heavy jobs and we have a good time together, at least for a few hours. 😇😇🤣

In my sedentary period I have read and spectated more than usual.  On October 26 I went with Miriam to watch Massenet's opera "Manon" at the Vermon Cineplex. It was live from the Met. I'm not a big fan of opera, but that one was wonderful. I do love dance, and last week I saw the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet at the Vernon Performing Arts. I've seen them before. They are inspiring, especially when you have to stand for a few seconds to get your footing before you can hobble out of your seat at intermission. And last night I drove to Kelowna with Miriam and Bill to listen to Robert Fisk speak. He was brought in by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East. His presentation was entitled, "Trump and Chaos in the Middle East". After years of covering the Middle East, he has many well informed insights. His sympathy for the Palestinians is undisguised. His direct contact with the area, its leaders and people make his comments well worth taking into consideration. This morning I listened to a few minutes of the tv coverage of the public Congressional Hearings into the Trump impeachment. That was enough for me. The US has put more effort into educating a minority of its citizens in the exchange of legal semantics than it has in explaining to the majority how a democracy works and their place in it, which is understandable given that it is above all a materialistic, capitalist country and the law pays. The wealthy minority certainly has never wanted the increasingly numerous much less rich majority to understand anything about how democracy works let alone that they could control government. So what I saw this morning was an exchange of very slick semantics. As Antonio warned Bassanio (I realize that neither of these characters was without predjudice) in "The Merchant of Venice",

" The devil can cite scripture for his purpose"

I'm beginning to think that Leonard Cohen was wrong. It's not democracy, it's autocracy that's coming to the USA. 

Enough. 

Now for some pictures of real people. 

Min and her friend at her 20th Birthday dinner

Jay and May at Min's Birthday dinner


November 16 was dad's birthday, so I include my favorite picture of him with Jay and one of Jay in James Bay Park, taken when we were visiting mom and dad. 

Travel

Henry 6, Part 2

Act4, Sc4, ll. 57&58

King Edward:

What dates impose, that men must needs abide;

It boots not to resist both wind and tide. 

And so with VIA Rail,

What freights impose 

Must also be abode. 

Passengers do not roll until they pass. 

And then at last 

Move

To somewhere else. 

To someone else's home

Where things are done

In other ways

At other times. 

Strange at first,

Neither better nor worse,

In most cases. 

Best adjusted to,

To learn from

To keep the peace.

Later, to leave.

To carry on,

Altered,or not. 

Jinhee's 17th Birthday and Hallowe'en

Jin turned 17 the day before Hallowe'en. I picked her up at the gym. When we got home, she put the winter tires in the car for me. She's very strong. When she was younger, she once said, "Lola is power."  But I'm not any more. Maybe I will be again if this knee ever gets better. Actually, it is better but not great. We had a good birthday dinner together. 

Last night was 🎃Hallowe'en. I wore a mask and carved a cantaloupe; when I went to buy a pumpkin the day before, there were none to be had, not even for ready money. Fewer kids came to the door this year than last, so I had lots of candy left. I ate too much of it. The rest is now frozen until I think of who to give it to. I hope that will help me exercise what little restraint I have. 

Jinhee's birthday had an Italian theme, lasagna and

and a DQ triple chocolate ice cream pizza cake. 😋

Hallowe'en cantaloupe 

Jay's school decorated for Hallowe'en

May and her Hallowe'en class


May in her facial mask. Jay sent me this picture with the explanation, not Hallowe'en related. But I beg to differ. 🤣

Walkerton and home

 I dodged a bullet with my assigned seat on the train. My mate was a pleasant young woman but just behind and to the side of me was a bulky biker with what was left of his grey hair caught at the nape of his neck in a whispy pony tail who told the poor older woman seated beside him more stories of his adventures and operations than I've had hot dinners, as David Glover used to say. By putting in earplugs I could dim the sound enough so that I only actually heard what he was saying when I took the took the irritating things out every once in a while. Otherwise I wrote and read and the trip went quickly. Union Station in Toronto is still not finished, but it's much better than it was the last to I was there. Cathy and Brian picked me up at the Kitchener station and we drove home through the subdued fall colours of the farmland of eastern Ontario. It makes you wonder how there can be hunger anywhere on this planet when you see an area of such plenty, field after field of corn, the heavy cobs dropping around the middle of each plant, ready to be harvested. We sat around drinking wine, eating cheese and Mark's deer sausage and talking.  

On Friday we drove to the Mennonite market where more of the riches of the earth were arrayed before us, the most enormous broccoli and sweet peppers I have ever seen. Then we went to Mr Martin's farm and bee supply store to buy things for Mark. He and Emily and Evan came by to say hello shortly after we got home. Then we settled in to a delicious beef tenderloin dinner and the first night of our semi binge watching of the BBC series, "PeakyBlinders". It's gripping. 

 

Saturday was Brian's birthday, so the whole gang came over for  a birthday/Thanksgiving dinner. The weather wasn't great so the kids were inside most of the time, but they were great, no fights. I played a kind of Scrabble mostly with Alex and Evan. We made the rules very loosey goosey and had a lot of fun. Leah was very proud and happy to be able to sit for dinner at the kids' table. As Dave was carving the turkey, I stood by and picked and ate too much of the skin and tasty bits. My body rebelled by throwing much of it back up late at night. It's not the first time I've done that and likely won't be the last. 

On Sunday Cathy and I drove out to visit Dave and Dana's farm. It really is becoming a working farm, garden and hunting location. They have donkeys, a horse, goats, about 6 pigs, chickens and numerous barn cats. The second floor of the barn was cleaned up and made firm earlier this season. Dave and Zak were cleaning the main floor when we arrived. Zak wields a pitch fork like a hockey player, Bobby Orr. Dave took me and the kids for a ride in the side-by-side all through the woods: past Mark's bees, wrapped up for the winter; over to the perfect new blind he and Dave made so Brian can hunt deer in style and by all the trees they have planted, including some thriving European tamarack. Back in the house we saw Dana who's pregnant with their fourth child and watched Dave make jalapeño poppers. He grew baskets of jalapeños this year and gave Cathy a bunch which she took home to make  into poppers for us. Delicious 😋 

On Thanksgiving Monday we all, except Dana who had to work, drove to the Greenock Swamp to walk along the trails and out on the new floating boardwalk. Mark led the kids at a fast pace and the rest of us followed. My knee continues to be pretty painful. In fact I phoned from Walkerton to make an appointment with the doctor for Friday, the day after I get home. Cathy, Brian and I had dinner at Mark and Jen's. It was fun to see the kids rooms, play some amazing crashing spinners game with Evan and see Em's rock collection. She gave me a Thanksgiving card she had made. I was touched by what she had written in it. She also made good deviled eggs, almost as tasty as her mom's pumpkin pie and her dad's barbecued bear, which was tender and just nicely smokey. 

 

The holiday continued with a drive to Kincardine, a visit to the kids' Karate class and a traditional, delicious roast beef dinner. 

Cathy and Brian drove me to the Kitchener airport where I was caught again by the excessively vigilant and underworked customs staff caught me again. When they first scanned my carry on they spotted the two deer sausages Mark had given me. They thought they looked like cans, which are not permitted. When they discovered what they were, they let them go but insisted on another scan. This time they spied my hair cutting scissors, took them out, measured then, discovered they were 1/4inch too long and refused to let me take them on board. 

Mo and John picked me up at the Kelowna Airport at 11:00pm in the pouring rain. They are very good friends. When I told Jay this in a Kakaotalk message I made a mistake and wrote 'licked me up' instead of 'picked' me up. His response follows:

On Friday I saw the doctor and had an X-ray of my left knee. On Monday the doctor phoned to say that there was no arthritis. Now I'm seeing a physio who thinks it's a torn meniscus, so I'm doing specific exercises, icing it and limiting activity. I will have a series of appointments over the next two weeks and hope for the best. 

Ottawa and Wakefield

Mela picked me up at the VIA Rail station in Ottawa. Thus began my visits with good old friends and family. I stayed with her and Don for a few days. Mela and I spent time together in the  local market and coffee shop. We walked in Mud Lake and went to make final arrangements for the engraving on the stone that will be placed at the base of the tree they have chosen to be planted in Britannia Park in memory of Blake. She and Don and I had time to just sit around together at meals and renew our friendship. Caroline and Albert joined us one night for pot au feu and birthday clafoutis to celebrate Caroline's birthday. Mela, Caroline and I began the evening with our traditional tequila cheers. 

Mela at the market buying vegetables for the pot au feu she made for Caroline's birthday

The bear in his den

I then spent some 'quality' time with Caroline and Albert. Again we seemed to slip easily into conversations and activities as if we hadn't been apart for as long as we have. Caroline and I visited the Museum of Nature to see a special exhibit of butterflies. We walked through vertical, clear Venetian blinds into a warm, humid room full of plants and butterflies of all imaginable colours. It was exotic. As a complete contrast, we then visited the relatively new exhibit of Canada's north which includes artifacts and interactive explanations from ancient Inuit tomes to Martin Frobisher's first European explorations to the present day. Another day we went to the Museum of History, my favourite for its architecture and setting. We spent a lot of time in the Neanderthal exhibit and then watched the IMAX film, "Great Bear Rainforest, Land of the Spirit Bear". I had seen it in May with Terry and Barbara,  but it's so well done I happily watched it again. I also realized my two food ambitions of the trip while with them. We had dinner one night in a real shawarma restaurant and bagel breakfast at Vince's. There I met Jim's old gang who still have breakfast together almost every week. Caroline and I of course did not eat with them. 🤣We  women went to our own table. On Thursday I had fun with Caroline and Simon, her youngest grandson. He's Gabe's second boy. On Friday we drove to Wakefield for lunch at Le Hibou. Christine Stobbert who lived on our road and babysat Jay a few times came up and introduced herself to me. She is a part owner there now. It was a very pleasant surprise to see her again. 

Caroline under the moon at the Museum of Nature

A brand new butterfly at the Museum of Nature

A friend and I on the shore of the Ottawa River at the Museum of History

Gabe and his boys at home


Albert's signature poached egg on a bagel 

Then it was off to Micheline's for the gathering of the WWW. Unfortunately Rosanda and Mary Lou were not with us. In spite of that we had some good old times: walking, talking, laughing and eating. Although we don't need liquor to loosen our tongues, the fact that Lindy brought the makings for martinis probably added to the ribald atmosphere. The Wild Women of Wakefield don't have to change our name yet, but we had fun thinking of names we might use in the future such as, We Were Wild and maybe in the distant future, What Were We?

The WWW -2 at Micheline's 

I stayed for a few days with Miche. Paul was in the southern USA at a motorcycle exhibit. Miche and I did lots of things we both enjoy. The weather was cool and often sunny, and the leaves got more colourful by the day. They were at their peak by the end of me stay. We went to the Wakefield market where I saw quite a few old neighbours, walked on the paths around the village, biked along the Ottawa River, had two spa days and watched two good old movies. She drove me to the Baughan's where I spent my last two nights in Ottawa. I've had good visits with them on my last two trips. Carolyn managed to coral Megan, Geoff and Sarah again for the traditional delicious family dinner. Carolyn and Ken drove me to the station the next morning where I caught the train for Kitchener.  

The traditional Baughan dinner