October 26 - Our Happily Increasing Circle of Family and Friends
This past week we did a tri-marathon of family visits in Southern Ontario – to see Gabrielle (Laur’s mom) in London, Marj (my mom) in Belleville, and Anna, Neal and Emma (our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter) in St. Catharines. It was our “Christmas visit” – minus the snow and presents. You see, we plan to be in Arizona for most of December and won’t likely be able to catch up with everybody again until late January or early February.
I can’t say the driving or the weather was wonderful – we met up with a hailstorm south of Parry Sound, and saw two accidents and “just missed” a few of our own. Frightening! It was a relief to arrive in London at our “go-to” motel – the Super Motel Seven. It’s an old fashioned 1950s kind of place, not expensive, and has all the basics, plus a few extras like a bottle opener drilled into the wall. I love it.
Gabe lives in a wonderful senior’s complex. http://www.chelseypark.com/index.php Chelsey Park is affordable, it’s well maintained, and there are lots of activities and facilities. I could be very happy in a place like that should the time come that Laur and I need to be able to reach a nurse with the push of a button. Laur’s mom has a nice circle of friends, and lots of family close by. She is very happy.
It was quite funny. Gabe had suggested that we go out for Indian Food – I think because I’m a vegan and she wanted to be accommodating. I said to her, “This visit is all about you – so wherever you would really like to eat, that’s where we want to...” I didn’t have time to finish the sentence before she exclaimed, “Swiss Chalet!” And that’s what we did. It was great to see her chow down on her chicken and sweet potato fries.
Back at her home, we enjoyed looking at some old photos and newspaper articles. Gabe loves to celebrate each holiday, and her apartment, including her entrance, was filled with Halloween decals and figurines. She has not had an easy life, not at all. So glad that she can enjoy the present and look forward to the next opportunity to celebrate life.
Next morning, off to see my mom. We arrived late afternoon. Mom and her friend Minta had arrived not much earlier. They’d been off to Kingston for mom to get an injection in her back to help with some disc pain she is having. The doc says Mom will be dancing by New Years. She is already having the time of her life. She is 91 and still living in her own home and driving her beloved van. She has a variety of kind and cheerful home helpers, and lots of caring friends.
Our regular haunt for supper in Belleville is “The Northway” which is family owned and operated. http://www.northwayrestaurant.com/ The place is always busy, the serving sizes are large, and all the staff love my mom; one of the chefs likes to flirt with Marj. And she always knows a few of the people eating there. After supper, back to her home – the one she was born in – to listen to funny stories, primarily told by Laurence, about his childhood.
Next stop – St. Catharines – where we are always spoiled rotten by Neal and Anna, and where we get to chat and play with Emma. She is a very charming three year old with her own life and circle of friends – at day care, parents and tots activities, with many “aunties and uncles” and their kids, and, of course, her Nana and Grampsy (Neal’s parents.) For a variety of reasons, I feel sad that she is starting school next year – Junior Kindergarten. It’s the end of an era of full protection and reassurance by the adults around her. But there are new beginnings too – new friends, kindly teachers, different activities, and finding one’s place in the big wide world.
*****
As I’m writing this we are on the 407. It’s rainy and windy and winter is coming. I detest the drive home – it gets longer every year. But in the Fall of 2015, we won’t be doing it. We’ll be living in St. Catharines, which is where Laur and I met as university students. And if we can stay healthy, come November 2015, we’ll be heading to lazy AZ to spend our winters – with likely one week back in late January / early February to see our happily increasing circle of family and friends – before returning to our glad-for-another-day trailer park community.
And every summer, we’ll back to Suds for week. Check in with friends, revisit old haunts, and give thanks to G*d for every trip around the sun we’re allowed to have...
I can’t say the driving or the weather was wonderful – we met up with a hailstorm south of Parry Sound, and saw two accidents and “just missed” a few of our own. Frightening! It was a relief to arrive in London at our “go-to” motel – the Super Motel Seven. It’s an old fashioned 1950s kind of place, not expensive, and has all the basics, plus a few extras like a bottle opener drilled into the wall. I love it.
Gabe lives in a wonderful senior’s complex. http://www.chelseypark.com/index.php Chelsey Park is affordable, it’s well maintained, and there are lots of activities and facilities. I could be very happy in a place like that should the time come that Laur and I need to be able to reach a nurse with the push of a button. Laur’s mom has a nice circle of friends, and lots of family close by. She is very happy.
It was quite funny. Gabe had suggested that we go out for Indian Food – I think because I’m a vegan and she wanted to be accommodating. I said to her, “This visit is all about you – so wherever you would really like to eat, that’s where we want to...” I didn’t have time to finish the sentence before she exclaimed, “Swiss Chalet!” And that’s what we did. It was great to see her chow down on her chicken and sweet potato fries.
Back at her home, we enjoyed looking at some old photos and newspaper articles. Gabe loves to celebrate each holiday, and her apartment, including her entrance, was filled with Halloween decals and figurines. She has not had an easy life, not at all. So glad that she can enjoy the present and look forward to the next opportunity to celebrate life.
Next morning, off to see my mom. We arrived late afternoon. Mom and her friend Minta had arrived not much earlier. They’d been off to Kingston for mom to get an injection in her back to help with some disc pain she is having. The doc says Mom will be dancing by New Years. She is already having the time of her life. She is 91 and still living in her own home and driving her beloved van. She has a variety of kind and cheerful home helpers, and lots of caring friends.
Our regular haunt for supper in Belleville is “The Northway” which is family owned and operated. http://www.northwayrestaurant.com/ The place is always busy, the serving sizes are large, and all the staff love my mom; one of the chefs likes to flirt with Marj. And she always knows a few of the people eating there. After supper, back to her home – the one she was born in – to listen to funny stories, primarily told by Laurence, about his childhood.
Next stop – St. Catharines – where we are always spoiled rotten by Neal and Anna, and where we get to chat and play with Emma. She is a very charming three year old with her own life and circle of friends – at day care, parents and tots activities, with many “aunties and uncles” and their kids, and, of course, her Nana and Grampsy (Neal’s parents.) For a variety of reasons, I feel sad that she is starting school next year – Junior Kindergarten. It’s the end of an era of full protection and reassurance by the adults around her. But there are new beginnings too – new friends, kindly teachers, different activities, and finding one’s place in the big wide world.
*****
As I’m writing this we are on the 407. It’s rainy and windy and winter is coming. I detest the drive home – it gets longer every year. But in the Fall of 2015, we won’t be doing it. We’ll be living in St. Catharines, which is where Laur and I met as university students. And if we can stay healthy, come November 2015, we’ll be heading to lazy AZ to spend our winters – with likely one week back in late January / early February to see our happily increasing circle of family and friends – before returning to our glad-for-another-day trailer park community.
And every summer, we’ll back to Suds for week. Check in with friends, revisit old haunts, and give thanks to G*d for every trip around the sun we’re allowed to have...