The West Commences: Hibernation

Last week I hibernated for 3 days. The temperature was around -20, and I was happy for the excuse to stay inside reading, etc. I went for a long walk each day, except Wednesday when it was below -20. I told my friend Mo that I was getting fat eating my own words because I’ve said a few times to people who complain that it’s cold here that for a person who comes from Thunder Bay and the Gatineau Hills, it’s not. The forecast for the top of Silver Star on Thursday was for -22, so classes were cancelled, but Mo and John and I decided to ski anyway and conditions were fine, a little overcast but not below -15. However a lot of our students don’t move much, so it was probably best to cancel classes. On Saturday we had a good talk with Shea’s mom and decided to go back to the beginning and just get her used to walking in her skis and going down a couple of small hills in the village. Her coordination really is limited, but her mother admitted to the fact that even she has trouble sometimes knowing whether Shea can’t or just won’t do certain things. We had some fun and we’ll see what happens next week. I ended up helping with Marie’s class in the afternoon because she is in New York and couldn’t take her student. His name is Edison. He’s the same age as Shea, seven. He has very serious mental and physical handicaps. We used an amazing contraption to move him around on his skis. He doesn’t talk and seems to either be quiet and contemplative or to laugh or cry. He’s very cute, and I enjoyed working with him. It was a good test for the ‘dew rag’ I invented last week because I got in a sweat moving him around and my hair stayed dry, to think that I am even concerned about such a stupid detail. I had such respect for Edison’s dad. He’s a very large man who radiates ‘you can count on me’. It’s easy to see why Edison has such faith in him. He ran around with us most of the time but left us at moments to slowly let Edison get used to being without him. After the class we talked in the SSASS room where we all change and eat lunch. Some of the kids knew him because he teaches drama at a school in Vernon. He was joking with the kids as he wiped the drool from Ed’s chin and told me a bit about their family. They have two other children, younger than Ed and both without handicaps. I really enjoy the atmosphere in the SSASS room. It’s positive and practical with not a hint of Pollyanna. The students and volunteers know that life’s neither easy nor fair, but it’s a fact that can be dealt with more or less successfully and even with humour, depending on our attitude and the help we give to and get from others. There’s a lot of joking and laughter in the room, a few tantrums and some people who just want to be left alone for a while. Shea, who can drop and scream with the best of them and who is not keen on physical activity, sat silent and wide-eyed as an older boy came in from his snowboard lesson yelling about how he hated it and was never going to do it again. Then that faded and people carried on eating, talking and either taking off or putting on gear.

I’m looking after Marie and George’s dog, Osito, again this weekend while they are in New York City buying a piano. It’s a very good and expensive one that George has wanted and saved for for quite a while. He plays very well, but I have never heard him because every time I go to their house for a concert, someone else is playing their piano.Osito is flopped out beside me now after the long walk we had this afternoon. He’s snoring.