Tag Archives: Winnipeg

Jul17

Amigos in Winnipeg

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Amigos in Winnipeg

I’ve been away from Winnipeg for years and this city sure has changed. What has not changed is my close friends whom I’ve kept in touch with over the years. Yes, our lives and circumstances have changed. But our friendship remains strong.

In my last post I told you all about my friend Lise. Today I’m going to tell you about some of my other friends.

Sheila and I met back in middle school. We took very different paths in life. Back in our teens we hung out a lot together. Although we found ourselves in different high schools, we often went bar hopping on weekends. Of course back then there was no computer chip photo ID. Life was so simple. I moved away twelve years ago and we’ve kept in touch. I came back to Winnipeg for two knee surgeries and Sheila patiently transported me around juggling my walker and my cane. We went out for coffee the other day and it’s like we’d never been apart. We updated each other on our kids and grandkids. Sheila is lucky. Her kids all live in Winnipeg, most within a one mile radius, whereas I don’t even live in the same country as my kids.

I met Audrey when Kimmy was in sixth grade. Kimmy and her son Billy were best friends. At the time Audrey was going through a divorce and my mother was dying in the hospital. So we used to trade off kids to help each other out. Our kids grew up and their friendship waned. But Audrey and I have remained close over the years. When I come back to visit, one of our traditions is to go to Nikos, one of my favorite Greek restaurants. And we did that yesterday. Then we went for gelato further down on Corydon.

David and I first met in Edmonton at YBC Nationals. He was coaching a team from Village Inn and Kimmy was bowling on a team from Academy. When we got back to Winnipeg Kimmy started going to David’s clinics. Then Kyle did as well. My kids were both bowling out of Windsor at that point, but then switched over to Village Inn. David is the closest thing to an uncle my kids have ever known. He even came to Kimmy’s wedding in Punta Cana a few years ago. David was one of my rocks when I was going through my divorce. We’ve gone to flea markets and auctions together, made wine, I’ve helped him in his garden and we even bowled on the same team once. But I’m convinced he wanted me for the handicap as my average was more than 150 pins below his. We went out for brunch last weekend and spent the day together catching up.

Rita and I met at auctions years ago. We’re both divorced now but our friendship has remained strong. When I come back to visit I always enjoy spending time out at her cabin at Lester Beach. I remember hobbling around out there after my knee surgeries and am thankful that I’m a lot more mobile now. I spent a relaxing few days out there earlier this month. And I’m hoping to do it again before I head back to Washington.

Natasha is another one of my auction friends. We went out for lunch to Saffron’s last week and reminisced. Back then there was a group of us who socialized regularly as well as went out for drinks or coffee after the auctions. Natasha lives out in Rosenort and we once had a party out there where we shot off a whole bunch of fireworks. Lots of great memories.

Now I don’t just eat my way through Winnipeg restaurants as it might appear. I do other things too.

Donna and I met when I taught water aerobics at the YMCA. One summer the Y closed down for repairs and I taught classes in the pool in Donna’s backyard. When I was living in Mazatlan, Donna and her husband were on a cruise and their shipped docked for the day and we had lunch together. The other day we went for a drive through Assiniboine Park. And on Friday night we went to a fabulous concert featuring a young and extremely talented pianist.

Laura is my computer guru. We met at University of Manitoba when we were getting our certifications in teaching ESL. Laura knows anything and everything about computers which is greatly appreciated by yours truly who is technologically challenged. Perhaps impaired is a better word. So Laura and I got together last week and next week we’re going computer shopping. Yes, I’m finally replacing my laptop that died sometime during Covid. I love my tablet, but writing will sure be easier with a laptop again.

I still have a few friends I haven’t seen yet. But I plan on being in Canada for at least another couple of weeks.

Jul12

So I Went To A Funeral

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So I Went To A Funeral

On Saturdays I generally check out the obituaries in The Winnipeg Free Press. Last week I didn’t have to wait until Saturday. It hit a lot closer to home.

While I’m in Winnipeg I’m staying with my friend Lise. When we first met, I was living in Oak Bluff and Lise was living in Fannystelle, about twenty minutes away on Highway 2. She and her husband Bob used to come in to Winnipeg for auctions, and that’s where we first met.

Both Lise and I had businesses on Ebay and would regularly check out estate sales and auctions in the rural areas. We also sold in rural flea markets together.

Years ago when Lorazepam was my best friend, Lise was one of my biggest sources of support. And she was also a rock when I was going through an ugly divorce.

I moved away twelve years ago but our friendship has remained strong. Throughout the years Lise has visited my parents regularly in a Jewish cemetery here in Winnipeg and even sends me photos. By the way, Lise is Catholic.

Bob has been in a personal care home since April. His condition deteriorated quickly in the two weeks since I had arrived in Winnipeg. And yesterday the funeral was held in Fannystelle.

Returning to Fannystelle brought back a flood of memories. I visited with people I hadn’t seen in years. And I heard of others who are no longer with us.

While I like to think that I am the one who makes the decisions, there is someone else who has a plan for me and leads me to exactly where I’m supposed to be as well as when I’m supposed to be there. I often ponder the reason, but right now it’s quite clear in this case.

Rest in peace, Bob. You’re in heaven now with Jesus.

Jul10

Back in the Peg

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Back in the Peg

It’s been an interesting week. Haven’t quite decided which is worse….no phone or no Wi-Fi.

I spent a relaxing few days out at Rita’s cabin. No Wi-Fi but I had a phone. Visited, watched movies and vegged. The weather cooperated but the mosquitos were maneaters.

Returned to Winnipeg and had both a phone and Wi-Fi. But it was short-lived. AT&T switches over to Rogers and Rogers went down all over Canada. Very frustrating considering the time constraints I have here and the planning needed to organize my time in order to see my friends.

The highlight of the week was the time spent with my son. Please congratulate me. I cried before and after the visit, not during. First time we were together in five years. We had a wonderful visit and he barbecued a delicious dinner. We’ll be getting together again soon and I am looking forward to it.

On a sad note, I’m staying with my friend Lise and her husband passed away in a personal care home this week. Please keep them in your prayers.

It’s Sunday again and it’s strange not to be at Sage Hills. But I will enjoy having brunch and spending the day with David.

Will check in again on Wednesday.

Happy Sunday!

Jul3

Coming Home?????

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Coming Home?????

Winnipeg has changed. This is not the city I remember growing up in and raising my children in. This is not the city I would ever care to live in again. There is such a cold feel to it. Winnipeg may be my hometown, but it definitely is not nor ever will be home to me again.

When I think home, I think Washington State and I think Aguascalientes.

It is nice to see my friends again. It’s been a few years. We have lots to catch up on. It’s interesting to see where we have moved to and what we are all doing now as we’ve grown older. Retirement has meant different things to different people. And let’s not even contemplate all the compromises we’ve made that have been impacted by health issues.

We’ve gone for drives through neighborhoods from my past. New roadways and buildings. A multitude of new apartments and condos. Even the trees look different, and not because they’ve grown taller over the years. They’re new too.

I met a friend for brunch on Friday and wandered over to look at the high school I graduated from back in 1969. University of Winnipeg Collegiate still looks pretty much the same. That’s my feature pic for this blog post.

We drove by my old elementary school and middle school. We drove by the house I grew up in as well as the house I lived in when my two kids were born. And of course the cemetery was one of the first places I wanted to go to as well.

The Forks has seen a few changes. Many of the restaurants have changed. Shops are not the same. But the river is still there.

I’m currently staying in the downtown area. It’s sad to see the empty Bay building. Taller skyscrapers also dot the downtown area and many buildings have changed names.

Tomorrow I’m headed to a cabin with a friend for a few days so I won’t be posting on Wednesday. Looking forward to the peace and quiet possible with No Wi-Fi!

Happy Fourth of July to all my friends out there!

Jun25

Last Post from Washington

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Last Post from Washington

This is my last post from here for a while. On Monday I take the Wenatchee Valley Shuttle to SeaTac to catch the red eye to Minneapolis. From there it’s on to Winnipeg.

ArriveCan info is submitted. Have my confirmation. Now if only Delta would recognize it. So much for checking in online.

All my clothes are packed. I love the packing cubes I bought at Marshall’s. I should have got some years ago. So easy to organize everything now.

I will miss the Leavenworth ladies in my SAIL class. We’ve been together for six years. But I’ll be back before I head to Mexico this fall. And I’ll be teaching some new classes here in East Wenatchee.

A Matter of Balance classes ended on Friday. When I return in August I’ll be doing training to coach in the program. I’m looking forward to that as well.

Leavenworth Summer Theater has three productions this summer. My plan is to be back here in August for at least two of them, The Sound Of Music and The Music Man.

Time to sort through documents, the tedious part of traveling. And to pack my carry on. Mainly devices, chargers and meds. No backpack this time. Just a smaller and hopefully lighter bag.

It’s very different packing for a one month trip than a six month trip. Can’t remember the last time I did that. Hmmmmm…..maybe about five years ago, the last time I was in Winnipeg.

Jun15

Travel Time

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Travel Time

Monday morning was way too busy. I’ve been procrastinating about going to Canada and it was finally time to make some plans. First decision was when I should go. Health blip was taken care of and the fitness classes end next week. Guess I can go by the end of the month.

Next decision was how I go seeing as I am not flying on my broom. My first choice was Amtrak. But it got rather complicated when it came to crossing the border. Guess I’m flying.

Flights were tricky to book. My favorite airline, Alaska, won’t get me to Winnipeg. Air Canada flights and connections were a nightmare. Would have to claim my bag in Vancouver when going through Customs and recheck it. Guess it’s Delta.

Now I have to get to SeaTac. Best option is Wenatchee Valley Shuttle. And it will get me there late at night in time for the Red Eye to Minneapolis. One less hotel to book.

A long enough layover in Minneapolis before the flight to Winnipeg so that my cane can remain collapsed in my carry on. Another advantage is that leaves only one stop with one airline to misplace my bag. And it will go right through to Winnipeg hopefully. Inevitable delays in Customs will not result in a missed connection, just my friend Lise drinking way too many cups of coffee waiting for me.

Then there’s health insurance for the remainder of my time here in the USA. And settling the bill with Confluence for the health blip. And booking that last hair appointment at the salon. And a few other last minute phone calls and texts to get organized. And the obligatory FLIGHTS BOOKED announcement on Facebook.

Not bad. I started at 8:30 am and was done by 12:01 pm. Not even thinking about packing yet, although I did pick up some packing cubes last week. I guess I have to leave something for next week.

May18

After Plan B Comes C, D, Etc.

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After Plan B Comes C, D, Etc.

Life. A sequence of events where unplanned by far outnumber the planned. And when you get to Plan Z, you start over with Plan AA, Plan BB, Etc.

March was when I arrived back in Washington. I expected to go to Kelowna in March but Canada still had too many Covid restrictions. The next plan was May but that isn’t working out either due to my daughter’s work schedule. Another plan was May in Winnipeg but a minor health issue got in the way. I thought maybe June but there’s some fitness training all month that I really want to do here in Wenatchee. So now it looks like July in Winnipeg. There is always another plan.

https://youtu.be/M7wYyVi1ugo

I hope you check out the above link. It’s an old John Denver song I came across the other night. And I can’t get it out of my head. It really takes me back in time and I realize now that none of my plans back then have ever come into fruition. And that’s okay because there is always another plan.

So…….why make plans at all if they never seem to work out? I’ve come to the conclusion that long range plans don’t work for me. Even short range plans don’t always come about. But I still continue to make plans because I have learned to become extremely flexible. I don’t stress out when plans fall through.

To quote John Lennon, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

My plan for today is, hmmm, that isn’t going to work out either. Oh well!

Jan26

Voodoo Lounge And Pozole

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Voodoo Lounge And Pozole

As I write this I’m eating a bowl of pozole and listening to Voodoo Lounge. They don’t go together? In my world they do. I know I’m in Mexico because it’s pozole. And I’ve been a fan of The Rolling Stones  for decades.

But as I listen to The Rolling Stones I’m magically beamed back to a hot August night in 1994 mildly buzzed as the smell of pot wafts through the stands of the old Winnipeg stadium. Down below Mick Jagger is strutting his stuff across the stage just as he did back in the 60s when I was a teenager.

Amazing how music can make you travel back in time like it was just yesterday.

So how is your 2022 going? I actually am beginning to wonder why we were all so eager to slam the door on 2021.

With the advent of Omni, I find myself no closer to going back to Canada than I did last year. I have way too many friends now struggling with family crises. I’ve had a few small blips on the radar screen myself this month.

But, ever the optimist, I’m looking forward to the future. February will be a bittersweet month as it’s countdown time until I head up north. It kind of feels like 2020 again when I didn’t know where I was going or how I was getting there.

My playlist for meditation time today will include Matt Redman and Josh Groban in addition to the usual Pachelbel. Lots to contemplate. Lots of people in my life who need prayer.

It’s all about FAITH.

Aug18

Always A Mom

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I worked remotely from home decades before Covid arrived. I wanted to be with my kids when they spoke that first word and took that first step.

I was an active volunteer in their schools and also in their extracurricular activities. Akela of a Cub pack, music librarian for ASYC and organizer of buses for a YBC provincial bowling tournament were some of the more memorable times.

The time flew by and my daughter moved to Ontario and I moved to Mexico, leaving only my son behind in Winnipeg. Then I started dividing my time between Mexico and Washington and my daughter moved to Kelowna.

When Covid arrived in March of 2020, I was in Mexico and was interviewed by a Winnipeg Free Press reporter. One of the more pointed questions he asked was how I felt about my decision not to return to Canada although my family was there.

While I’ve enjoyed the last ten plus years of traveling and living in other countries, it is hard living far away from my kids, and it has been even more so during the pandemic.

I still feel the sadness when I phoned my son from Culiacan on his birthday in 2010. He turned thirty and it was the first time in his life I wasn’t with him on his birthday. Over the years, the pain lessens, but there’s always a tugging at the heartstrings.

I did come back for their university convocations and I went to Punta Cana for my daughter’s wedding. And I do go back to visit as neither of my kids come to Mexico or Washington. And I have a three-year-old granddaughter who thinks I live in a phone.

Earlier in the week my daughter was evacuated due to wildfires. Last night she told me that they are able to return home but they are still on alert. I always have a TO GO bag packed in my closet due to all the fires around here. But I felt so helpless when she called me the night they were evacuated as she hurriedly packed up my granddaughter and the three cats.

Texts and video calls are great. But what I want more than anything are REAL hugs, not virtual ones. That day can’t come soon enough for this mom.

Apr28

Thanks For The Memories

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Thanks For The Memories

Every day on Facebook I check out the Memories section. And I reflect on my life and all the different places I’ve been. I also can’t believe how fast the time has gone by and how much I’ve changed throughout the years.

Two years ago I was volunteering at Camp Heartbeat in Peshastin. It was the beginning of my annual children’s ministry experience at LCN.

Three years ago I was in Toronto visiting my friend Deborah. I recall long walks along the lake and the beautiful view of the water from her backyard.

Four years ago I was in Puerto Vallarta enjoying walks along the malecon and gazing out at the ocean from my lounger on the beach.

I found another memory where I was actually in Winnipeg at this time six years ago. That was a year before I discovered Leavenworth.

And then I found a memory from ten years ago. On my way back from a visit to my friend Rochelle in Los Angeles, I had stopped for some beach time in Mazatlan before returning to Culiacan.

Today I’m moving from Leavenworth to Dryden, a town about 10 minutes away. Not quite as exotic as other places I’ve been, but it will be a memory nonetheless to look back on one day.