Sat 2 Dec 2006
6 p.m.

This year the job of hauling in wood is officially Everett's. This is the first time we've bought the major portion of our winter wood supply. Normally Scott is out chopping down trees, mostly around the yard, when we are right out of wood or getting close. Often it is 20 or 30 below and he is tired or sick or somehow struggling to do it. This year I suggested we find someone to buy wood from, instead. "I'll pay for it," I said, "and you get it home and woodstove-ready."

Then I enlisted Everett to carry it into the house. He is to fill the wood ring, seen above, on the weekend and bring in a few armloads every day to keep it full.

Me, all day I tend the fire. It requires many trips up and down the stairs; about once an hour I run down there. I should be in fine shape, right?

***

Last night Emil went to his first Christmas party with the clients of the sheltered workshop in town. Everett stayed home to have a free hand with his Playstation (a big deal to him, who rarely gets his fill of that damn thing) and Scott and I dropped Emil off at the hall and went out for supper ourselves. After killing time with some night shopping, we went back to get Emil around 9:00. As expected, he wasn't ready to go. We stood in the foyer watching him boot around the outskirts of the central room with its very happy dancers.

There was a Dixieland band playing on the floor in front of the stage. This is the time of night, someone told me, when they let the clients come up and sing a song or recite a poem. We saw them get up there with such enthusiasm and unselfconsciousness it was a joy to see.

My favourite part of the evening was when we were dropping Emil off and hadn't left yet, but were standing in the entryway chatting with people and waiting to say goodbye to our boy, who had already trotted off to scout out the joint. A lady I'd never seen before came rushing up and threw her arms around me.

"Hi!" she trilled, as if I was someone she hadn't seen in six years. "I'm Gail!"
"Hi!" I trilled back, returning her hug. "I'm Kathy!" I'm pretty sure we had matching big grins on our faces.

***

Some of the people there last night are people we will probably be involved with from now on, for the rest of our lives, as Emil works and plays with them. It is new ... it feels new, though of course it isn't. I'm a regular at the local recycling spot, which is attached to the sheltered workshop. Many workers there are very open and friendly, so I've had conversations with a few. Now Emil has started his work placement there for a couple hours a week, as part of his school curriculum. He is easing into it, and so are we, I guess. But last night I was moved. Why? I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it was a sense of having a glimpse into the future and the unique community that is welcoming Emil into its social life.

***

Scott went to Yorkton today to buy some construction material and on his way home will stop in a little town to pick up Everett's new piano. We managed to find, with his piano teacher's help, a four-year-old Yamaha to replace the little Casio he practised his first year of lessons on. Special appreciation goes to my soon-to-be former husband for agreeing to pay for it.