Holiday Weekend

So, did you enjoy your holiday weekend?

The weather, while not what I would call “typical” for this time of year, was better than it has been. I certainly didn’t feel like going swimming, but I did manage to eventually put on a pair of shorts and sit outside.

Of course, the Midway (or Fair, if you prefer) is in town, so naturally it did rain. Not the entire weekend, however, and really it seemed as though the crowds were good any time I drove past.

I’m never sure when I hear people commenting on the rain and the Midway in the same sentence, whether they are simply remarking on the unfortunate coincidence of opening the Midway on a weekend that typically offers us rain, or that they actually believe the Midway causes the rain.

Of course, I was busy with driving lessons on the weekend. Well, not exactly “busy” — I only had two scheduled. But it was typical enough.

Sunday saw me heading out of town, leading worship services at two churches in the Bruce Mines area. Afterwards, I had a nice lunch at Bobbers, then spent the rest of the afternoon driving around and checking out some of my favourite parks in the area.

The water was very high at Rydal Bank Park, on Ottertail Lake, although I was told that it had been a metre higher the week before, and there was clear evidence of the higher level.

Still, it was a good spot to get out the folding chair, put my feet up and enjoy the sunshine, and read for a while.

From there I wound my way through the backroads to Tower Lake.

The last time I was there, near the end of April, the lake was still completely iced-over, although there were many dark spots to be seen.

This week it is completely free of ice, and there is no snow left to be seen in the bush. Still, I wasn’t about to slip into a bathing suit and go for a dip.

Really, unless we have a few solid weeks of sunshine and very warm whether, I’m not sure the lake will be warm enough for swimming even by the end of June.

Poor Planning

I didn’t plan my weekend very well. I didn’t miss anything I should have, but neither did I make sure the fridge was stocked. I had enough back bacon and bagels for breakfast each day, but nothing else.

I will often eat out when teaching driving, and always have lunch out after church on Sunday. Sunday evening, however, facing an empty fridge, my choice was to head to the store with the throngs of other last-minute shoppers or eat out.

I chose the latter. But… that meant that I had nothing on hand — other than breakfast — for Monday.

“Well,” I told myself, “it’s a holiday weekend. Treat yourself to a couple more meals out.”

As I found out, that was easier said than done.

I have never been a proponent of stores being open on holidays. I feel that retail and service sector employees deserve some time off, too. But I wasn’t prepared for how many restaurants did close for the holiday.

As I drove around town, I found it was mostly the fast-food places that were open. Many of the sit-down restaurants were closed. 

It is almost eerie driving around town, seeing parking lots at malls and shopping centres and restaurants empty. It put me in mind of the “Left Behind” series, where only a handful of people remain following the Rapture… only there were no lawn mowers running unattended.

Of course, I have no one to blame but myself. I had plenty of time to stop and pick up a few things, but… well… yeah.

Signs of Spring

Although the weather hasn’t been the warmest, there are some sure signs of spring emerging.

While they are later than would be typical, the trees are beginning to bud, and some of the smaller shrubs [“First you must find… another shrubbery!] are in leaf.

Daffodils and tulips are coming out, and just this morning I noticed the patch of Trilliums in the yard is beginning to bloom.

As you will know, I don’t do winter well. That it took much longer than normal to shake off the remnants of this past winter has taken its toll.

But… with spring emerging, with green beginning to show in the trees, and flowers beginning to bloom, I find my spirits lifting.

I’ve often wondered what it would be like to live somewhere that the seasons are not so dramatically different, whether perhaps winter wouldn’t be so depressing.

But then I wonder if Spring wouldn’t be so uplifting if it didn’t follow the bleakness of winter.

Rob Ford

I’ve been mulling over whether or not to mention Rob Ford.

I truly believe that we — the public and the media — just need to ignore him; leave him alone, and let him get on with his recovery.

There have been discussions in dozens, perhaps hundreds, of online forums of his behaviour, and especially his recent admission to rehab. Many of the commenters do not seem to understand what rehab is, or indeed what an addiction is. 

Addictions begin as choices, but they are poor choices which become all-consuming. Addictions can be overcome, but one is never completely “cured.”

Addictions are not just over-indulgence, although over-indulgence — whether that be food, alcohol, drugs, sex, or other behaviours — is often a step along the road to addiction.

It was very easy to laugh at Rob Ford’s antics. He, himself, seemed to be enjoying the show and the attention.

But when he finally admitted publicly that he had a problem and was seeking professional help — not just a personal trainer — then I was hopeful that he had actually turned the corner.

Now, Im not so sure.

Rob Ford was not only spotted in the Town of Bracebridge on the weekend, he stopped to glad-hand and have his picture taken with numerous people.

There was debate online as to whether, as brother Doug claimed, Rob was simply taking a weekend off. 

As I understand it, there are no “weekend passes” from Rehab, especially not the first week or so. Rehab is essentially 28 days of hell, as one is denied the substances one craves, and learns to adjust to a new reality.

A weekend pass would not be helpful in this regard.

Whether or not the facility Rob is attending offers furloughs is hard to say, but I suspect that either it does not, or that it is not a true “rehab” facility.

Or, Ford may well have simply checked himself out. 

Whatever the case, I hope that he does (or by now, has) check himself back in. I don’t agree with his politics, and I don’t see that he and I would ever become friends. 

But I don’t like to see people suffer the way he obviously was. No one deserves to be in the grips of an addiction. It is an ugly, ugly place to be.

I wish him well.

Summer is coming!

Living here in the north, as we do, we are used to seasons “officially” starting well before they actually appear. When living in southern Ontario, I did get to experience Spring happening very close to March 21st. Here… not so much, and especially not this year.

But, before we know it, summer will be here.

Hopefully we will have a decent summer, even if it starts a bit late — or perhaps Spring will, now that its started, rush by and summer will happen on-schedule.

I don’t know about you, but I am going to try very, very hard to not complain about the heat at any point throughout the summer.

Hopefully, we won’t be complaining about the cold.

But… that’s just my opinion.