Can you believe a month has passed since I last wrote?!
Jim and I are still getting used to not having any dogs around. It feels empty at times and sometimes we still go to do routines we had when they were here. I also miss Einstein’s sweet little face in the front window next door and his Woo Woo when he called the girls to come and play with him. There are two homes that seem so still. You don’t realize how much energy they have and how they fill your space until they are gone. They are all forever in our hearts. So glad that they were part of our family for so long.
I had some good news today. I have been trying since April 2020 to get a refund for our cancelled trip to New Orleans. Air Mile’s said that by the middle of July I will have received all the monetary and Air Miles points back. Wow finally. I have a stack of paperwork to get this accomplished! After I receive this, I then have to go for my New Brunswick trip too! Fingers crossed that this goes smoothly as well. Such a relief!
I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day. I was on messenger with my daughter when the doorbell rang. Because it was such a tough year Lindsay had sent me a necklace with 3 rings on it, symbolizing Grandma, My Children, and Grandchildren. What a beautiful gift that I will treasure forever. Talk about timing too! Things like this, during this year, mean so much as we all try to keep in touch as best we can. We continue to talk on messenger with our family. My twin Granddaughters in New Brunswick keep on sending me messages about how much they miss me. It is two years since I have seen them. It seems longer than that. I am so grateful for the technology that is with us today. At least we can see and talk to each other. I do miss the big hugs though!
I do hope that life will return somewhat to normal by the end of the summer. We have booked the KOA then and fingers crossed we can have the Barrie Grands stay overnight with us in our trailer. There is so much you can do at a KOA that is totally geared for kids. We just had our trailer de-winterized so we are set for this season. Jim was out in the pouring rain yesterday putting the hitch on and connecting everything to the trailer. Marty, where we store our R.V. helped us out so that Jim didn’t get quite as wet as he would have. We were to have gone to Fanshaw Conservation Area for the weekend but that got cancelled. We will likely have to book during the week as all weekends throughout the summer are now booked. So many people trying to go somewhere other than their backyards
This year we continue to work on our backyard. I am not too concerned about our front yard as they are ripping up our street for new sewers and curbs. Plastic pipes are all over our lawn. The backyard shed has had an overhaul. New window boxes and a new ramp have been stained and put in place. I could bounce on the old ramp!! It is great to see the flowers back in the window boxes that will soon by trailing down in beautiful purples. Our two fish are still with us. We called these fish Hudson & Rex. I have no idea whether they are girls or boys! I also have a new pink water lily in the water barrel plus a watercress. Last year I put the hanging strawberry plant in the corner of the yard near the composters. I couldn’t believe it made it through the winter. It is alive and well and already new strawberries are happening. What a miracle that was! You must take each magical moment and celebrate them. We also had our first strawberries from Heeman’s. The taste of the first strawberries for the season is divine! These are memories of summer for sure.
Well, I hope that this summer that we might once again be able to make some plans. Jim and I get our second vaccine in July but hope for an earlier date. I am so glad that so many people are participating so that we can have some of our lives back. This has been such a long time for everyone. We have learned new ways to connect through Zoom and messenger. We have kept each other safe, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you who have been so diligent. It has not been easy for anyone. It sure shows you though that when you are determined to succeed in being safe that you can do it. It truly is looking at love thy neighbour. Hopefully, by my next blog, we will have even greater freedoms. This would not have been possible unless we had all worked together.
The news of the 215 deaths of indigenous children at a Residential school in BC is horrendous. If I had any clothing that was orange, I would be wearing it today. On Your Morning this a.m. they had Holly Fortier who is a Cree/Dene woman who is the founder of Two Canoes Media. She produced a film called “A Mother’s Voice”. Her mother was a residential school survivor. What she said truly resonated with me. She said indigenous people are not a problem to be solved! When she was asked what we can do, she said that we need to educate ourselves. This can be done by reading books by indigenous peoples or listening to their music. Buy art from inspired Indigenous people not indigenous inspired. Go to museums and cultural sites to learn about indigenous collective history. She also suggested that courses be taken. She pointed out that compassion is needed as a lot of their communities are impoverished i.e. living in third-world conditions.
I am glad that our flags are at half-mast, but more needs to be done and other residential schools need to be investigated for more children who did not survive. Can you even begin to imagine an RCMP officer coming to your home and dragging your children away? Many were never seen again. I can’t even fathom how painful this must have been for the children and the parents as well. This was sanctioned by the churches both Catholic and Anglican who must accept a lot of this responsibility as well. I always thought that the residential schools were closed but some continued until 1996!! They started in 1883!! It is said that 3,200 children died in Canada!
In school, I never even heard of Residential Schools. It is only as a nurse when I worked with clients with mental health challenges because of their living in Residential schools that it became much clearer for me. How could you trust again or indeed become a good parent yourself if you did not receive the skills growing up? I hope that Canada as a Nation does better. I know that personally, I want to do better and to learn more. I have learned so much from my indigenous friend Brenda and I will continue to do so. She has helped me to open my eyes and ears to her realities. She is one of the most positive people I know despite her past. Her music inspires me. May we all take the time to educate ourselves!
Many blessings and enjoy your summer!
Sue