Friday, Sept. 24, 2004
10:25 a.m.

This photograph was taken from Shelly’s back-40 in Alberta, where I spent a night or two on my way here. Just another example of the Big Sky that I am missing back in the parkland! But I have to admit, I am beginning to appreciate the shadowy tones of the mist hanging in the valley against the mountains on the other side of the lake. I am starting to find something pretty here to admire. The view doesn’t lift my spirit as the Big Sky back home does, but it still has its pretty moments.

Last night I, as usual, did not feel like going out anywhere, to anything. But it was the first meeting of the Closet and Shower Singers, so off I toddled. There were only four of us in the group, middle-aged women all -- I may be the youngest -- and we were shown a few breathing exercises for singers and then the instructor, an excellent singer and pianist himself, led us in two songs: Cabaret and Unforgettable. He had lowered the key of the music because all four of us think we are altos. Anyway, the singing did wonders for my state of mind, as singing always does.

This morning the phone rang before nine but it was not Scott, as it would normally be, but Mom, saying we should come early rather than late to see them. The people who live below complain that when people walk around Mom and Dad’s place, the dishes on the shelves below rattle. So Mom and Dad are trying to accommodate them, as good neighbours tend to do. The people teach at a university so are not home during the day, thus that is the time Mom and Dad suggest we visit.

Me, I think those people should move out, get themselves a house. You can’t expect to live in a condo and never hear the footsteps of the people above you. Once there were a bunch of us over there and the neighbour came up and complained, saying “I’m embarrassed even to mention it, but we are trying to watch a movie in our living room and we can’t even hear the TV.” We apologized and said we’d try to tone it down. But it’s not as if we were dancing jigs up there! We were just walking around, picking pizza up from the table and getting glasses of water and so on and so forth.

Well, I can see Mom and Dad going out of their way to be considerate for a while, but really, it does seem ridiculous. I could understand it if we were having a loud party or something, but just normal walking around ... they have even complained about Mom and Dad walking across their living room floor, which is hardwood. Dad went out and bought himself a pair of slippers in hopes that might help -- he walks on his heels, as I do, so we are noisier than most and we know that and can attempt to adjust our gaits. Nevertheless, if the people overdo it, I know my dad. He will just tell them to go to hell. Mom will be chagrined, which is probably why he hasn’t already told them to stick it where the sun don’t shine.

The second time the phone rang it wasn’t Scott, again, but Mom, calling to tell me that she and Dad are going out shopping for a hide-a-bed for their den. She sounds full of piss and vinegar, and is feeling herself again -- well obviously she is, for this is the first time she’s gone anywhere “normal” for quite a while.

So I’d better start getting ready to go out and do some running around before we head over there. In Saskatchewan I paid about $800 to insure my van for a year, but the plates run out today so I am going to get temporary BC ones while I wait for my drivers abstracts for the past eight years to come in from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Insurance here in BC will, all told, cost about $1300 before the 40% discount my clean driving record will get me.

*** I notice there is some html screwup appearing, that yesterday's photo is stuck over top of text -- I don't know what causes that, or how to fix it.

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