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Tag: nostalgia

When Covid comes to town, round seven.

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Earlier this week we learned that my wife’s great grandmother, who is 94 years old, has Covid for the first time in the nearly three years it’s been around. Not only that but at least one farm hand in his seventies has it too. We suspect the second farm hand, also in his seventies has it as well, but is such a heavy smoker with heart issues and a permanent cough/wheeze , that he just hasn’t noticed it yet. How could he, inbetween smokes all he does is cough and wheeze and shake like a leaf in the wind. He’d never know anything was wrong until he woke up dead one morning. He’d shrug and say “Could have been anything?” And float off on his merry way, oblivious to actually being dead. What a guy! But in all seriousness we are concerned for the 94 year old former nurse who grew up with a pet bear, and worked in a mining town for ages before getting married and going to med school. Lots of interesting stories wrapped up in that one believe you me.

Years ago, before I got married, I used to cut grass on the side of my full time job, and one of my clients was in Locust Hill. A brash and harsh old lady, I was told by everyone who knew her. A widower, her former husband had struck it rich by being the guy who built a machine, or series of which, that could consistently dye wool in any colour you like. Their house was huge, set back on an acre or so of lawn, with massive old growth trees. A shed full of relics, and a house stuffed to the tits with art and sculpture. When i met Barb, she was the cold and scathing witch i had been warned of, but as i kept coming back week after week, she started to open the door to chat, then poke a head out of a window, then settle on the porch, and after a month or two she’d invite me in for a meal and we’d talk at length about medicine (i have Crohn’s disease after all) so i don’t shy away from over sharing, or gruesome details. Anyway, in Barb’s youth she worked as a nurse in the sexual reassignment wing of a Toronto Hospital. Went in to great lengths and detail on how they could turn a penis into a vagina, and collect the meaty parts of a vagina and reconstruct a working penis. It was all very interesting and shocking. This was stuff they were doing in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and into the 90’s after all. I don’t recall when she retired, or under what circumstances, but she was a hoot, a real riot. Couldn’t cook for shit, but was generous with what she made me, and as a side note she didn’t know how her kids would survive after both of them attended Harvard and now ONLY earn $700k a year as of 2006. Ha. I fucking wish to be a $700k pauper. Her husband was a good looking dude. I saw many black and white photos of him in Jeans riding a motorcycle like a stud. Classic striped down low riding bike too. Old style seat with the coiled springs at the back two corners.

Barb died a while back, and I didn’t attend the funeral. I felt bad about that, but I spent a long time thinking about her that weekend. Had a drink in her honour as well, as I recall.

Really makes me sad that neither of my grandpas are around anymore. I really could have picked their brains on my furniture building projects. They both worked making furniture as a skilled profession for decades in Britain. I remember our house used to be stuffed with things they had made. Chairs and tables alike. Shame I can’t get access to all that experience now that I enjoy doing it myself. Details lost to the wind, like the sands of time passing between our finger tips. Books and YouTube will have to suffice for the moment.

You know what I miss?

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Playing catch with my brother in the street. Long bombs, pop ups, grounders we threw them all, on purpose and by accident. For hours, up and down the street, on the school fields and peoples houses. It was tiring and fun, and I miss that. Now don’t get me wrong, I have no desire to play baseball or softball, 3 pitch, slow pitch, or T-ball. I just liked to throw and catch a ball. Cracking jokes, pretending to rob someone of their grand slam, world series winning homerun. I’m currently in the process of teaching my kids how to throw properly, and catch using a Mitt. The oldest is about 3-4 yrs in, and has gotten very consistent with catching, but the throws tend to go wild every so often. Lots going on around us, so can’t blame them for losing focus. The youngest started last year but fades quickly in the sun & heat. Hoping for a few top up lessons this year, and then get some real work done next summer. Every kid should learn to throw, catch, hit, run, swim and ride a bike. Just so they have options to move through as they get older and play with other kids more.

I do need to figure out a better way to work in new gloves, as mine is still stiff, and both of the kids gloves are less than ideal if you actually want to close your hand around a ball or manipulate the Mitt in any way shape or form.

We also practise with kicking and passing a soccer ball around. That’s a great lower cost sport in this neck of the woods. Fun to do on a beach, at home, or shallow water. Same with a frisbee.

My exercising is still moving along, but now I kind of want to move into weight loss too. Not so much I’d give up pizza and the occasional soda, but eh. Small active steps, and a new beneficial behavior take time to cultivate. I’m getting very close to 150 days of writing, so that’s pretty cool. That’ll be some time this coming week.

Took the kids out for mini putt today, my wife came too, which was really nice. Good weather, unruly kids and fun had by all involved. A great Saturday morning.