An October Whirlwind

It’s been a hot minute since I posted here. The October wind has blown literally, making sticks of trees that were arrayed in golden splendour a few weeks ago, and metaphorically in terms of lots going on. I’m ready for a long string of ordinary.

Let’s see.

Gerry had cataract surgery on both eyes two weeks apart, promoting (?) me to chauffeur and keeper of the car keys, which I didn’t mind a bit. We decided to go to one vehicle after we moved to Moose Jaw, and since then I’ve occupied the passenger seat more often than not. It was good to be back in the driver’s seat.

One of my (former Moose Jaw) cousins was with us for a little over a week, taking care of some family business that involved emptying a very full storage locker. He and Gerry worked like Trojans to get it done. My cousin and I spent one afternoon going through a storage trunk and looking at old photographs. It was a great experience. I saw pictures I hadn’t seen before (and some I had), but it was a grand time with the two of us looking back, reminiscing, and doing our best to pick out who’s who. (If only everyone wrote names on the back of pictures. Imagine the trouble our future generations will have with the countless number of digital photos we capture these days.)

Leslie’s mom and my dad were siblings; they’ve both been gone for decades. I couldn’t help but think about how amazed they would be at the two of us together, digging through history together after all this time. Here’s a photo of the two of them together taken right here in Moose Jaw, just down the street from where Gerry and I attend church.

There were other photo treasures too, like this one I hadn’t seen before of my dad and five of his sisters (the youngest wasn’t born yet) in front of their house on Grey Avenue here in Moose Jaw (check out the car in the background!).

I drive down Grey Avenue occasionally (when I’ve got custody of the car keys) because, not only did my dad live there as a boy, he and my mom lived in a little house on that same street while he was building our family home. Being there grounds me.

Now, just as things are starting to get back to normal, I’ve got vertigo. It’s the most awful thing. I’ve suffered through major bouts in the past and, relatively speaking, this isn’t the worst. I stagger a bit when I get out of bed in the morning, and have to wait for the room to stop spinning when I lay down, but most of the time I’m okay. It could definitely be worse.

I made the mistake of going to yoga this afternoon. As soon as I lay back on my mat the world started spinning. When I was finally able, I sat up—slowly, one careful and measured move at a time—I caught Gerry’s eye and mouthed “help me” but he didn’t catch on and I ended up sitting on my mat while everyone else followed the instructor, feeling like a dolt while I waited for the spinning to stop enough so I could get up and leave. No more yoga for me for a while.

We had our first snowfall earlier this week. It was nothing. Didn’t last and didn’t stick, but it snowed for the first time this season. Days are definitely cooler, and nights dip below freezing, but there’s still an abundance of Moose Jaw sunshine most days.

One morning we met friends for breakfast. Gerry was buying thanks to a friendly football wager that saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders win over the B.C. Lions. Always enjoy our time with these good friends who are like family.

Meanwhile, I take advantage of time when Gerry’s at the gym to enjoy silence and replenish my depleted reserves. I pray for loved ones in need. I poke needles in wool creating to create rabbits. I putter around the house. Sometimes, I read. And life carries on.