Victoria Day

It’s Victoria Day, where we honour the late (several generations ago) Queen who made Ottawa the capital of Canada.  More importantly, to me, anyway, is that this is the climax of the Tulip Festival, so there will be more fireworks tonight (there were Saturday and Sunday)  My sister-friend “kidnapped” me this morning for breakfast and some time at the lilac walk.  Have I mentioned that I love lilacs?  Our timing was extremely precise, as my kidnapping was at 10, my nurse was due at noon and I returned home at 11:45 — at the same time as my nurse was calling for access! (She was early!) Jerry has complained that he was abandoned, so he spent time on my lap to ensure that I can’t sneak away again without my shadow.  Don has been doing something on his computer, and I’ve learned over the years that it’s not in my interests to enquire too much into his goings-on.  The results usually show up a day or so later in a box, and that’s when I have to deal with them.  So much easier to be surprised!

This morning when I got up my left arm felt like I’d popped a string and I’ve been in pain since.  It’s neither broken nor dislocated (I have full range of movement, and the nurse double-checked) but there are certain moves that are agony!!  I’ve tried massaging, using muscle rub and a heat pack is next.  My friend P says that it’s because of my posture (due to my back) and that I unconsciously hold my arm in such a way that the muscle reacts badly.  Whatever it is, I’d appreciate it if it went away, please and thanks!  Other than a continued lack of appetite, I feel a lot more like myself, which is a relief.  It’s a good thing that I don’t feel so exhausted all the time today, and everything else is pretty ok.

I was quite surprised today when we were at the Experimental Farm.  We were fairly early, but there were quite a few families wandering around enjoying the flowers (the Ornamental Gardens are just breathtaking)  There were children ranging from about 2 to 12 with their families, and they were all well-behaved.  This surprised me because in airports, museums, malls and other shared spaces, children are nightmarish, shrieking fiends.  These were running and playing in open areas, posing no threat to others, or were walking, talking excitedly to their families, or taking photographs.  Model children!  At the tulip festival, a couple of blocks away, there were other children who were not running into adults or being nuisances.  I wondered if it was that they weren’t fully awake, or if I’d just stumbled onto parents who didn’t allow hellish behaviour — if I did, that’s awesome!  I’m sorry; my experiences with small children have been less than happy.  In an airport, I witnessed a group of children aged between 4 and maybe 14/15 who thought that rolling on the carpet while a flight was boarding was fun while the attending adult just giggled at their activity.  Bad parenting!

I really did enjoy the morning; it was pleasant, you can see the perfectly blue sky, and we were out and back ahead of the crowds that probably built up during the day.  I didn’t have the energy I would have liked, but at the same time, I didn’t fall asleep on myself this afternoon, so yay?  OK, I’ve got to go eat now so I can take my chemo and perhaps have a pre-bedtime snack tonight; plus the tiny dictator is butting my leg to complain that my lap is full… Good night!