New Plans How did this happen? Why am I in Winnipeg?

The short answer is I lost faith in myself but the practical answer is the hostels in Toronto had bed bugs and I was worried about money. So instead of one of my crazier plans I choose to do a more (only very slightly) responsible thing and crash in on my Aunt and Uncle, get a job here for a couple months and then try Toronto again on a better budget.

So I stayed by my lonesome at my sisters for a few days. I found two cockroaches and her landlady is both deaf and pushy. On one occasion she came down at about ten at night and knocked on my door and asked what I needed. I thought it was very sweet and I was sort of tired and mellow so I just thanked her for her concern and told her I was fine. Well she got very accusatory in tone and said, "I think you’re afraid to say." To which I just sort of stared at her in amazement. She the continued to get more upset and said "I can't help you if I don't know what you need. I again assured her I was fine with everything. She snapped at me in quite a loud tone "Think! What do you need?" I was so stunned I realized I better think of something or she's not going to leave me alone. I asked for a radio so I could have some music and she turned around and reached for the oldest clock radio from the early sixties. I thanked her and went in and she seemed content enough with that. I tried it out and it only had am. It spent the rest of the time unplugged on the floor and my sister was like "Is that your radio?" She enjoyed the story.

Another night she knocked late again and I was nonplussed this time and took my time getting to the door and she was barely able to stand holding this TV. I felt so bad I made her wait I scooped it up and she was looked at me like "see I knew you needed more things." Strange doesn't even begin to describe it.

Fran's landlady also has a thing about writing notes. She writes a note at least once a day. They very from "Please take off your shoes when you come in and leave them by the door. If this is a problem for you for religious reasons then never mind." to "My son Don is coming today. Is that alright?" I'm not too sure if she's ok or not but she was generous with her tomatoes.

Ok just one more... When Fran got there she had her cat with her, which had already been ok'ed by the landlady. Fran asked if she could take the screen off the window to let the cat in and out as she pleased. This was ok'ed. So we two sisters are watching our new TV and she comes storming down the stairs and says "The window needs it's screen back on it's been off since I came out to the garden earlier." Fran and I knew we had gone to the store earlier so we thought maybe we left it off but didn't say anything and instead Fran asks "Oh when were you in the garden?" She was so mad and said "Ten minutes ago!" We were trying to reassure her and said we were right there watching TV the whole time and that was not really any sort of problem on a nice warm day but she insisted we had to put the screen back right away. So funny.

So I had a very nice time with Fran spending her grandpa's money on house wares. We got her dishes and sheets and cleaning supplies and groceries. We shopped all day everyday basically.

Then it was time for her to go to school so I came with and checked out the campus. The train ride was fun through the countryside and some of the trees were starting to turn. The canals were pretty with a few little ducks swimming along and fishing. So we go to a few different buildings and stop in the library cafe for muffins. We come out and it's like the apocalypse is happening. It's very dark skies, the wind is blowing garbage cans over, there are little tornadoes all over, people are running for cover, it's raining and the lighting and thunder are right above our heads. It was very scary. We tried to run to the train but Fran got hit in the leg with something so we hid in a different building. We asked a guy walking by how to get to the bus and he told us to take the tunnels. We tried but then went right back to where we started. After talking out which way to go we ran out into the wind and rain and lighting and thunder again and ran down these steps and around the corner and into another building. We were pretty lost. By this time we both could have won a wet tee-shirt contest and we get these two guys from the grounds keeping crew offering us a ride in there windowless van and we think "Why not?" So this guy is driving us back the way we came to get us to the train and he puts on Justin's "Bring the Sexy Back” and I can't shut up about Aidan and Graeme and I'm sitting on Fran's lap and we start singing and dancing and the guy is trying so hard not to grin like crazy and Fran and I are talking a mile a minute about karaoke. So fun. We piled out of the van with all Fran's wet textbooks and the storm was completely over. It got sunny again and even the people who are used to that kind of thing said that one was worse than normal.

I had a nice flight out to Winnipeg. I've been spending my days dropping off resumes and having interviews. It took me two hours to get hired at Hallmark and then on half hour to loose it. I was too honest about looking for more hours so she sent me home. It was sort of harsh. But then she said I could go back and start my training with them on Monday if I don't find anything else. Very strange and quite kind of her.

I went to the library yesterday and wrote for two hours. Felt very productive. It's my second one act I've got down on paper since I left Vancouver. I think I was right about Vancouver. It's not the right climate for me. I always felt like my head was underwater there. In a drier climate I feel more able and aware. I'll get a copy out to anyone who wants one. I really like it here so far. I'm happy and content and life is good.

Miss you crazy clubhouse kids. Bits and pieces.  ¶ 9:52 AM