Good day, eh? I can finally say for sure spring has arrived here in Canada's capital - I counted a dozen new panhandlers (rookies, recent grads of the School of Hard Knocks, who are these people?) on the way from my condo to the University this morning! I finish my language studies early next month and hope to dazzle my family with my French when I fly down to Florida on the 12th. Richard and I are off for two weeks to do some house/property hunting either in Hernando County or around the Fort Myers area while prices are still reasonable. Of course I am keeping an eye on the Canadian dollar which has been up and down this past week but still hard-pressed to see 0.82 US, sitting at 0.81.18 this morning. And another spring ritual has been completed - I took off my big noisy winter tires and put summer ones on my truck this week, had a wheel bearing replaced and am now ready to do some real spring cleaning on it. Here in Ontario that usually means scraping off six months of accumulated salt! Ah spring! Thought I saw a robin today but that was wishful thinking...But I guess if we had no winter, spring would not be so darn pleasant. And on that vein I suppose if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome either!...But after giving it some thought I must admit that the delicious feeling one gets here in the north this time of year almost makes up for the long winters : the air is softer, the days longer, and there is great expectation ahead. I think I know what a bear feels like after a long slumber. Those of you living in the southern part of the world who don't really experience winter are missing something. Sure you have countless days of balmy, sunny weather but it's always the same! The smiles on stangers faces, the little jump in their steps and bodies suddenly shorn of layer upon layer of heavy wool are something unique here. Even our streetpeople look human again instead of unidentifiable and shapeless jumbles of discarded clothing, shivering and shaking on the concrete! But enough...Time soon to return to our property in the Appalachians and smell the mountain air...I can hardly wait to start planting again, to dig my fingers deep into the soft earth to feel its energy! Pure bliss...Till next time have a great week!gws
