Thursday, June 30, 2005

Tiara Day

Yes, I am wearing my Tiara today. Just seems appropriate somehow. I wear it when I feel joy and want to celebrate, or when my spirit is ruffled and upset and I need to find something to celebrate. Just to give you an idea of what is going on in my life these days, let me just say I am wearing the tiara for both reasons right now. Yep, both.

Have you been wondering where in the world I was and why it was taking me so long to post something? AC has been posting blogs, but still not a peep from me. What is going on? Well, let me fill you in on some of the details.

To say that I have been in a bit of a spin for the past week is an understatement! I have been in a dizzying freefall from one familiar trapeze to a brand new one and is has been one scary but exciting experience. What a rush! Now that my fingers are tightly clasped around the new trapeze and the screaming has stopped, I can take a few minutes to catch my breath, slow down a bit and maybe "pen" a few words.

The first three weeks of our vacation were great, but at the end of the third week AC had trouble with his back and we were forced to stay in Ottawa for another week in order for him to rest his back and get comfortable enough to travel. We took advantage of the extra time to browse the net and look at real estate in the area. To make a rather long story a bit shorter, let me just say that we found a small house we loved, located about two minutes from the water and marvellous bike paths. We put an offer in on it and it was accepted the next day. Yikes! At this point all the doubts about moving set in and got all tangled up with the joy. What a jumble of emotions I was experiencing. I would get up in the morning and wonder what in the world we had done. We now had to get home, talk to our real estate agent, finish the kitchen renovation job, and – oh yes - list our house and sell it!!!! We had five days to get all our ducks in a row and finalize the deal on the new house, or re-think the whole venture and call it all off. Oh dear. What to do?

We managed to get home on Saturday, unpacked, cleaned and polished the house and tended to a very messy garden all day Sunday, talked to our real estate agent on Monday, listed the house Tuesday morning, and by 9:30 Tuesday night we had a firm offer come in for it. Can you believe that? I am not sure I can. We didn't even have a chance to put a sign on the lawn, and it was sold. Things have certainly been moving at lightening speed and I am having trouble keeping up.

Wednesday was spent on myriad details of locating movers, firming up closing dates, arranging for new kitchen floor to be put in, and going through the motions of having MLS people view the house just in case the present offer hits a bump at the bank and the prospective buyers can't arrange a mortgage. They have until Wednesday to firm up their financing, so we now wait for that "I" to be dotted and "T" to be crossed. We had a new kitchen floor installed this morning, signed the remaining papers for our conditions on the sale this afternoon and now AC and I are trying to re-group and gather our strength to start the sorting and packing. Help!

So, dear friends, that is why I haven't written a word since we got home. I am not quite sure which end is up right now.

Letting go of my old familiar trapeze bar has sent waves of sheer panic shivering through me at times. The very thought of ripping up my roots here and moving to the other side of the province, after living in this area for over thirty years is frightening but exciting too. What a ride this is going to be.

I don't know how much writing I will be doing in the next little while, but I will check in when I can. I am sure AC will keep you up to date on our progress more than I will. He manages to stay up later than I do, and is able to work away on the computer while I am drifting in dreamland.

Well, I must run now, I am off to rustle up some boxes and pack a bookcase or two while I watch Wimbledon. (Oh the kazillion books that need to be packed!)

I hope you are having a tiara day too and enjoy each and every minute of this ride called life. Wheeeee!

Soar, eat ether, see what has never been seen, depart, be lost, but climb.
Edna St.Vincent Millay

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Sisterhood

Tea with Henrietta Muir Edwards


What a joy to join this teaparty on Parliament Hill. I forgot my fancy dress but I brought my heartfelt thanks, and these women saved a chair for me and warmly invited me to join them.

"Come and sit down awhile with us Cuppa" I could hear them whispering to me as I passed by. I eagerly stepped back in time and entered this joyful celebration of their victory in the Persons Case of 1929, a landmark step in Canadian women's struggle for equality. I was honoured to be in their presence and felt right at home with them. These women won a legal challenge to have women considered "persons" under the British North America Act, making them eligible for appointment to the Senate. These five leading women were Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung and Irene Parlby.

Thank you ladies. I will be eternally grateful.

"No woman should be shamefaced in attempting, through her work, to give back to the world a portion of its lost heart."
Louise Bogan

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."
Pamela Starr

Continue to dream your dreams dear blogging sisters of mine and bring to your corner of the world a portion of its lost heart. We can be the change we want to see in this old world!