December 1st. The Holidays.
Where did you come from?
I swear it was August just a week ago and yet when I stop and think about it we saw a house, bought a house and moved into a house all in a matter of three, short months, so yes- December first is here in all it's sparkle and shine.
Did I mention we are blissfully happy?
Happy like Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn when he finally gets his woman- at the end of the movie mind you. Of course in my case, it's the Mister.
We have been so pleased and yes happy that we made this huge move to the Island three and a half years ago.
You should try it Easterners. We have two houses filled with Ontarians just three and four houses down the street. One family from Guelph, the other Ajax.
It's true that we- mostly just me in the beginning, were not happy with our first house. It took a while for us both to realize that. Anyhoo, that's old stuff and barely a pleasant memory these days. We love this mountain home and the views!
Most days we are gobsmacked.
It draws your attention away.
It's like heaven some days when you look down on the clouds covering the valley. I've not seen the "real" Heaven and gawd knows there probably isn't one but at least I know what it could be like living up there and looking down there upon the clouds.
Speaking of Heaven...
My sister texted me yesterday to say that a friend had asked her to tell me that my Grade 7 & 8 art teacher- Margaret Leith, had passed away last Friday. Margaret was a great mentor. At Regent Park Public School in Orillia, Ontario, she encouraged me to take art in High School. She was supportive of what I did. In latter years, she would attend every stage show I was in for MAT and Double R Productions. She always waited after the show to get a hug.
She will be missed.
I am sure when I was eleven years old in Grade seven that Margaret knew I was different.
Did we even use "Gay" in 1962?
I wouldn't have known.
Another part of growing up taken away.
So, I read Miss Leith's obit.
Cremation had taken place and a memorial service will be conducted at a later date as is normal in these trying Covid times.
While in the Obit section, I browsed through the listings of the past few months. I do this once in a while to keep up. My Mother always made a habit of reading the death notices in the paper. As long as she didn't read her own name, she was good.
As I browsed through I found four other people I knew- we knew, who had passed.
An Orillia neighbour Don Banks. Don told us many stories of his life. Some very long.
He'll be missed by his family and wife Jackie who helped usher at our Theatre Orillia stage shows the last few seasons.
Further down the page- Sara Jenkins. I did not know she had been an Olympic Swimmer. She was a lovely lady and was always was glad to see you. Her Obit was long and very interesting. Kudos to the author. Now I know who suggested my name to Telecare Orillia when I was asked to speak to a half dozen of the Telecare phone people a few years back. I never knew who had suggested my name to speak about being Gay. Their calls from young, questioning people were increasing.
A bit further down the page I saw Jack Tolland's name. Jack ran a driving academy in Orillia for something like 40 years. My cousin Judy- who passed a couple of years back, encouraged me to go to Jack for driving lessons.
I booked my first lesson.
After the first lesson Jack turned to me sitting there stiffly behind the wheel and he said-
"Rob, go and get your license."
I did.
Lastly as I scrolled down the page I saw the name Jeanette Law.
Jenette worked at the Orillia Antique Mall for years when the Mister and I moved to Orillia. She sold us many antique pieces and bric-a-brack.
She was a lovely lady and even came to tea at our Orillia Home- Pine Tree House.
I'll always remember her for our antiques and tooling around town in her Volkswagen convertible.
What did I learn from reading of these passing's you ask?
Firstly, I applaud the lives lived.
It's just the circle of life and all that but mostly it tells me that time is precious on this earthly plane.
The next 20 years will tell the story.
I wonder if I'll be active two decades on?
Will I do the things I do now?
Will I be healthy?
Will I walk around or ride my bike?
Only time will tell...
