Wednesday, September 17/2008

Stop at the lake on the way back, but Ian and Susan and crew (Susan's mum and William) out fishing, so we're on our way, happy to get back before dark.  Stop in Dryden where there is a satellite electoral office for the district and are told we can vote right now.  Opt for a half hour to discuss the options.  Then vote.  Seems strange, with the whole campaign still ahead of us.

 

Tuesday, September 16/2008

Car servicing at the dealership - so we have them drop us off at the Charleswood Mall and pick up some candy to take over to Mum.  Her relationship to the sweets so much simpler and happier than her relationship to people these days.  Over to Subway with Trev for supper.

Monday, September 15/2008

Off early, accidentally taking James's house key with us.  Ian and Susan are at the lake, but we stay at the house in Winnipeg, sharing it with Trevor.

Sunday, September 14/2008

Sunday breakfast.  Tess helps James make cinnamon buns.  Giggles over the secret, trying to mislead us when we say that something smells wonderful.  We take a long walk with the kids, past the legislature gardens and down to Wascana Creek where we feed the ducks and geese.  Then over to the Natural History Museum.  Tess zips past exhibits but both kids take a while in the children's activity area.  We remember the last time we were there with Malcolm several years ago when we were unable to see the enormous mechanical dinosaur because the room had been closed off for the Chinese opera - Chinese and steamed buns in evidence everywhere.  Nobody expects the Chinese opera.

Back home we go out and pick up some Chinese food from Peking House.  Laura comes to pick up the kids, so hugs and good-byes.  J has a meeting with Palliser Conservatives and we head over to visit John Kutarna. We begin by admiring the Wilf Perreault over the couch - an enormous painting of John's own back lane - and eventually have the tour of all the art works, including more Perreaults and some Thaubergers.  Some lovely ironic and whimsical works in Vicky's den.  Miss seeing John more often - and really miss Vicky, the most happily positive friend I've ever had.

Saturday, September 13/08

Swimming lessons.  Malcolm has to be torn away from his WII.  Tess is the most enthusiastic splasher of the salamander class.  We're the cheering section on the bleachers.  Tess's dance class is cancelled but she puts on a performance with the help of scarves, then teaches school for her dolls: "You count to five in Spanish, and you practice your flute."  Malcolm and more of his WII.  J still clearly totally psyched on his job as policy advisor to the premier.

Friday, September 12/08

On to Regina.  Windy enough prairie drive that the car's stability system light comes on, distressed at the steering wheel angle required to keep the vehicle going in a straight line, though the Smart does well enough.  

First stop to renew passports.  No problem with mine, but J is sent to line B.  Problem: he wants to renew it two years before it expires in order to rid himself of the dread Israeli visa stamp.  I have the same stamp, but my passport is due for renewal.  The upshot of line B is that he can't renew two years early.  He could pay full passport price for a one year passport good only for countries that are problematic - like Syria.  But that would take time.  J suggests that Ottawa might be more accommodating.  The girl is offended and insists that those are Ottawa rules.  But she's spent considerable time consulting with someone not visible - is there room for discretion or is she just unfamiliar with the rules?  No point in asking.  We call it quits.  Syria some other year.

James and the kids are waiting at his new house.  Tess shyly peeping, but warming up quickly.  Malcolm less shy but more reserved.  James makes pizza.  Tess gives us the grand tour:  the new bed, the "fancy" toilet seat - a child's eye view.  Malcolm takes top bunk in the spare room while we have the bottom.  Tess shares with James.

Thursday, September 11/2008

The first of the grandchildren trips before the winter escape. And organisational skills need honing. The second carboy of wine is on, but only just, wrapped up in a quilt against the chill September nights while we're gone. Reading is easier in the car - books jammed under the passenger seat of the Smart to be read aloud as we drive rather than hauled about knocking the bottoms out of suitcases. The first is The Ordeal of John Gyles, the account of a nine year old New England pilgrim boy captured by the Indians and held as a slave in the Saint John River area of what is now New Brunswick. He was taken prisoner in 1689 and finally released nine years later, now fluent in French and two Native languages as well as English, and accomplished in many of the arts of survival. Politically incorrect - endless references by the editor to savages - but utterly fascinating.

We have two tasks on this trip - to present our applications for new passports and to apply for special mail-in ballots for the federal election as we will be away from home for the advance polls as well as the actual election day. With some difficulty, we have obtained the address for the electoral office in Kenora:

EC: What's your postal code?
Me: P8T 1L5

EC: And your street address?

Me: Well, I can tell you that but it doesn't seem helpful since what I want to know is where the Kenora Electoral Office is.

C: How do you spell Kenora?

Me: K E N O R A

EC: And what province is that?

Me: Ontario

EC: That's K E N O R A ?

Me: That's right

EC: Ontario?

Me: Yes.

Well anyway, it's a slow process. But eventually I wrest a phone number and street address from them, the address apparently about the location of City Hall in Kenora. Seems simple enough until we're there, and they're tearing up the street with heavy equipment, and there's lots of mud and nowhere to stop and traffic behind. But there must be other electoral offices.

Night in Winnipeg with Ian and Susan. They're gearing up for a week at the lake, leaving tomorrow. S with amazing and discreetly anonymous stories from the job front - executing wills.