ROBBLOG #878- And Then, One Day

 

I was chatting with my Mum.

"I just had dinner with your Father."- she says.

She continued. "Yes, we don't see each other that often these times but it is nice when we do. It reminds me of all that earth time we had together."

"You mean, earth down here?" I wasn't sure what she meant.

"Oh down there. Around there. Over and up there. In there. It's a matter of perception." - Mum says.

"Perception? You must be learning new words while you're away. That's a a 25 cent word- as you'd say."

"I guess it is!" I could tell she was smiling. "I have lots of time to do what I wish and be where I want. Must be hard for you to understand what I mean."

"Kinda..."

"One day all will be revealed and you'll say oh yeah." Mum sounded like herself in one way but not in another.

"Is it difficult to talk like this?- I quickly asked. Sometimes she didn't talk long and scooted away without much notice.

"Not too bad."

I could tell she was thinking or bothered.

"I just have to sort of fenegal my way back to how it was. You have to be in the mood and rely on misty memories to talk this way."

"I appreciate it when you do but sometimes it is hard for me. Being open I mean."

"You've always been open."- Mum says. You're receptive. Spiritual. Waiting there for the message.

It gets busy at times- doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does. Did you know about this when you were around?"

"Around?" Mum went quiet. "Oh damn. You mean around there where you are. Yes and no. I knew you were my "different child".

"Different?...Oh the Gay thing!" I thought I had nailed it.

"For goodness sakes no- although that was a part of of your learning experience. Mine too- and Dad's.

I remember it being tough. Your Dad and I worried and struggled."

"You did?" I hadn't heard that before.

I mean, "I hadn't heard that before from you here. Before. When you were here. With us."

Mum was quick. "I know what you meant before you said it. It happens fast that way now and you are already well-tuned so it comes quite fast. You'll know what I mean eventually. You think it and hear it and I have it and I understand. That's a big change for myself here. It must sound strange to you..."

I shrugged. "It does I must admit and there are times when I think I am making it all up."

"You're not. I am telling you now. You are not! It's there for everyone if they care to use it. Your Grandmother Lillian says hi and Judy just spirited in. She knew the connection was open.

I know you have sentences with her now and then."

"Sentences?"- I asked.

"Yes. Short and sweet pieces of reality." She laughed.

"Now that does not sound like you at all Mum!"- I was a bit taken aback.

"Oh Dear. Sorry. I try to meet your consciousness. It's difficult sometimes. I feel you want to go Rob."

"I do and I don't. I get a little sad and I have some tears." I mumbled.

"Normal- for you. Healthy I believe your medical people would say. Your Dad just came by in a flash. Twenty- nine years next week for him. He's off to play lacrosse he says."

"Really Mum?"

"Yes. That's what he says."

"Oh." I go quiet for a second.

"Rob?"

"I'm here Mum. Just thinking..."

"That's good."

"You know Mum it's seven years today April 30th?" I waited for her response. It was a long pause.

"Is that so...I'm waiting for you, you know. I always will. Then one day..."

"I'll see you once again."

She laughed- "Oh, you'll see alright."

and she was gone all in what seemed a jumbled flash in time.

I do miss her and I always will...

Then, one day...

ROBBLOG #877- Jabbed at Last

 

I've been Jabbed!

Yes Dear Readers, I am now partially vaccinated against the dreaded covid 19.

Praise The Jesus...

If there was one. 

Sorry, I had to get that "shot" in.

Jabbed. Shot. Get it??

Actually, I didn't see anyone praying or genuflecting or clutching a rosary.

Of course, I was clutching my pearls.

I was alone when I entered the huge Cowichan gymnasium where the smell of sweaty socks and armpits hung in the cool, salty Island air. Again, maybe from armpit sweat.

I don't know.

I am not a Doctor, although some friends refer to me as "Nurse Reid" whenever I wear my Nursing Crocs. I am always happy and prepared to diagnose ailments.

The whole vaccination process took about 50 minutes.

Canadian Red Cross workers were everywhere- even one I knew.

Eli from Cowichan Auto. How we recognized each other behind masks I don't know- but we did.

I had the QR Image in my Pass Android app on my phone but I was never asked for it.

I was asked if I was wearing a fresh mask. Never saw that posted anywhere as a requirement.

A fresh mask.
I was. 

Almost.

I guess I fibbed just a bit.

I panicked. So many questions and I'm a Senior.

Anyhoo, I'm a nurse and we're allowed- even us "fake" nurses.

So, take it from Nurse Reid. Wear a new mask.

The young Canadian Red Cross worker asked me to swipe my health card in the swiper thingy on the desk. I also had to tell him my birthdate just to be sure I was who I said I was and not under the influence of Vodka I guess... 

He didn't mention the mask.

Phew!

He gave me a sheet of paper and said- "Read this at your leisure."

I had passed the "screws"- for it kind of felt like a bad prison movie being in that gym with all the congregants separated by a few metres and sitting on ugly, yellow plastic chairs.

Then I was instructed to a volunteer wearing a powder blue tee shirt who pointed me to two plastic, yellow chairs where I was told to sit.

I did.

Alone.

Did I mention I was alone?

I should say that in this gym it echoed because of the high ceiling and smooth floor making it hard to hear people when they spoke to you. By the way, one person can accompany you for moral support but my support- my Husband, stayed at home as he was building a deck and stairs onto our backyard terraces. He was supported in that task by my Brother Scott a recent new arrival to the Big Island. Actually, Scott is the builder and the Hubbie would be the support worker.

In a few minutes- almost right on the dot of my appointment time, I was sent to Lola who was sitting behind a white table where a computer sat and papers were strewn about.

Yes- "What Lola wants, Lola gets". We had that laugh.

Nurse Lola was pleasant and she went over a few things like the vaccine I was about to be jabbed with was the Pfizer vaccine. I answered "no" to a bunch of questions on a printed sheet in front of me.

No, I was not indigenous.

No I wasn't feeling ill.

No I wasn't breastfeeding.

She did not mention the mask.

Again- phew!

As we chatted Lola rolled up my sleeve and said she admired my shirt.

"It reminds me of Delft Blue China."- she chirped.

"Actually it's a Ren Spooner design from Hawaii"- I said.

"Lovely." Smiled Lola.

We had become fast friends!

Lola talked of a bureau she had at home that was painted the same colour blue as my shirt.

As she told me, I saw her reach across the table for a little brown pad about the size of a dime.

She stuck it on my arm.

Nurse Lola then said-

"Now go over there and sit on a blue chair for 15 minutes and leave. You don't have to see anyone before you leave- unless you feel unwell."

OMG!

I had not felt the needle prick my skin and I wasn't even under the influence of vodka.

I am somewhat an expert on pricks and this one got past me- somehow...

How could that be?

I mean not feeling the needle NOT being under the influence of Vodka.

So I stood up. Thanked Lola for being there and gave her a box of Merci chocolates.

I walked across the gym through basketball court markings and plopped down on a blue plastic chair sitting up against the gym wall. 

Sitting in a chair in a gym is the closest I ever got to being a jock- both in high school and beyond.

So kids, that's about it.

Nothing more to say.

I shopped at WalMart and Canadian Tire before heading home to the mountain.

I do have a slight soreness in a joint or two and my jaw has a bit of an ache.

Lola said that could be expected for up to 48 hours.

Nothing to worry about she had said unless I start vomiting. That's when I call a special number on the sheet that I was handed way back at check in.

The future is bright.

I'll get a text in about sixteen weeks when I get a second jab.

My heart beats rapidly with anticipation.

Gawd, I hope it isn't the vaccine doing that...

ROBBLOG #876- I Was So Mad

I Was So Mad...

I Was So Mad when I realized there was a bunch of things I was mad about.

I Was So Mad when Dr. Baloney here in BC said 10 people could gather in a backyard- size was not mentioned, yet 10 people couldn't congregate indoors physically distanced.

I Was So Mad when the Prime Minister made that foul-smelling weed that makes me "ill" when I smell it, legal across the Nation.

I Was So Mad when I ordered a wind-sun sensor for our new outdoor awning and I paid $73 dollars more buying direct from the manufacturer than I would have paid by ordering it at Wayfair.ca

I Was So Mad that some people in this country who were much younger than myself had been getting their covid shots way before I was even eligible.

I Was So Mad when the CBC cancelled Kim's Convenience.

I Was So Mad when young French people- mostly black as far as I saw, smashed storefronts in Old Montreal just because they had to be home by 8PM because of covid.

I Was So Mad when people reading the above "I Was So Mad" thought me racist when I clearly saw young black men smashing windows willy-nilly.

I Was So Mad when I realized that maybe the media only filmed young black men throwing street signs into store windows.

I Was So Mad that our "made in America KitchenAid Cooker" wouldn't work properly here in Canada.

I Was So Mad when I heard Albertans were sending healthy horses to Japan to be slaughtered for Sushi and eaten by rich Japanese. www.horseshit.ca

I Was So Mad when I heard Korea has a "Dog Meat" festival every year when dogs are dipped in hot oil- whilst alive, to strip their bodies of fur before they are sold for meat.

I Was So Mad when I realized I was turning 70 this year.

I Was So Mad when I realized I would never have the chance to become Queen of England, Wales, Northern Island and Scotland.

I Was So Mad that I wasted two hours watching a movie that was filmed in black and white that had been nominated for an Academy Award.

I Was So Mad that I could barely follow the storyline of the movie mentioned above.

I Was So Mad that The Jesuz didn't answer my prayer when I asked him to give my Husband a $60 million dollar lotto win.

I Was So Mad that I couldn't think of anything else to be mad about...

ROBBLOG #875

So Kids, have you had enough yet?

We've passed our covid anniversary.

One year of this plague because that's what it is a plague.

Did you bake a cake?

Wear a party hat?

Or did you just flip on CBC Gem and while away a few hours- or days, away watching some benign comedy, drama or documentary.

I don't flip on the TV during the day but I do watch a short video or two from those I follow on Twitter.

There's a sanctuary where cows and sheep and horses and pigs all mill about together. It's a stress reliever. Google Crouton. I used to follow Esther the Pig but her Dad's made some kind of anti-Liberal bullshit statements and I stopped. It was Esther who convinced me to stop eating pork a couple of years back. Beef was next.

It was not easy. We are programmed to eat animals.

I follow Jann Arden and her current crusade to stop the disgusting habit of sending horses via Calgary International to Japan to be a rich person's horse sushi.

Check out horseshit.ca

These beautiful animals are locked in crates- standing up, with no food or water. 

They are frightened and stressed.

Email Justin Trudeau to show your displeasure.

Why something hasn't been done sooner is beyond me. Americans ship their horses across the border because shipping horses for slaughter in Japan is illegal stateside.

If I owned a huge acreage, I'd be saving some of these horses.

While I'm in the mood, if you eat a vegetarian or meat-free meal just once a week you would be helping curtail the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of pigs and cattle. These days it's easy with all the meat-free plant-based choices out there- even at WalMart. Order a vegetarian pizza for once.

All this is easy to do even though you love your burgers and ribs.

Do a google search for pig farms, beef farms and slaughterhouses. It will be tough to watch but you'll see what happens to these animals every day in this country.

Haven't you driven along a highway passing a huge transport truck with little piggy noses stuck through the slats?

All stressed. Eyes open wide with fear because they know this is the end for them.

It's a personal decision but give it a chance and see the pain our earthly animals go through to put pork and beef on the plates of Canadians.

So back to covid.

Keep your chins up and we'll get through this covid thing. I've said from the beginning it would be easier to fight Zombies than Covid. With a Zombie you know where you stand.

A bullet between the eyes or a bash to the head with a sturdy, official Blue Jays bat and you're done.

It sounds cruel but remember Zombies are the walking dead- not a piggy in a field.

They'll appreciate the "human you" for helping them fly up to Heaven to be with Jesus- the Christian Zombies at least. We all know Atheist Zombies go straight to hell but maybe that's another Blog.

You can't feel too sorry for that type- can you?