Noisy time

It was a restful day today.  I was woken up as usual by being climbed over by the Small People, one of whom carried a bus and a fire engine and the other My Little Pony and a handful of stickers.  They headed off to daycare after a few protests at being separated from Auntie, and I settled in to cook breakfast and work on my crochet project.  It was a warm, rainy day today; the fog rolled in and made everything look eerie, even in daylight.  My boys were good when I spoke to them; Jerry as usual was trying to push the phone away while he demonstrated his sulking.  Don was in good spirits, so that was nice to see and hear.  We had a long talk both late last night and again this morning, so I’m happy about that.

Yesterday, while I was out with my friend, I took him to visit one of my favourite spots in the Niagara area; he was surprised that I knew it, as it’s in a tiny, out-of-the-way, blink-and-you-miss-it town.  I explained that Don and I spent a lot of time in that area when I’d first come to Canada before I moved to Ottawa for work.  It made me think that if things had worked out differently, I’d have been living in this region, although it would have been another life.  I might have wound up working at the university (I’d considered it, and applied, but they didn’t reply until after I’d settled in Ottawa) and I’d have been like everyone else here, thinking that Ottawa was “far away” and “out of touch.”  I definitely wouldn’t have any of the friends I do now, and I’d probably never have been exposed to the various cultures that I’ve met.  I’d also not have the medical team that I do, and that really doesn’t bear considering!  Neither, frankly, does the idea of not having my Ottawa support system.  

When I arrived in Ottawa, I reached out to the Trinidad & Tobago High Commission to ask, “Where dem Trini dem?” They put me in touch with several expats, and that’s how I met some of the first friends I made here.  They led to others, and so on; I’m still friends with many of those people that I’d met in my first couple of years in Ottawa.  There’s a much larger Trinidadian community in the Greater Toronto Area, so I could have done like other expats and folded into a group that would have insulated me from a lot of homesickness by maintaining a stronger connection.  I’m glad I didn’t, because I got a chance to meet so many great people, plus I know the areas where Don grew up and the countryside here, which is less crowded.  I was surprised to learn that Hamilton is about half the size of Ottawa; I’d thought it about the same size!  Plus the other towns are all under 100,000 people, so IMO “tiny” or “villages”  I mean, I’ve been to towns with a population under 1000, so those are practically hamlets!

Ottawa is a small town with big city dreams, so rush hour exists, but it’s just over 30 minutes in most instances.  There’s construction snarling streets, but there are also still individual homes downtown — although I was once sneeringly informed that Ottawa “doesn’t have a proper downtown” given that you can be in the country within 30 minutes’ drive.  I’m fine with that.  I’d like more green space in the middle of town, more walkable areas, and bigger parks, but I can find those fairly easily.

OK, it’s time for dinner, and I’m the chef de cuisine tonight.  Nothing too complicated, and I hope the SP eat it!  Then story time later.  Have a good night!