December 2021
Christmas Greetings from Victoria. The place to be in a pandemic. It’s been beautiful exploring during Covid. Last year was a lock down Christmas and the year before I moved into Assisted Living. So, both plenty and nothing to catch you up on.
I moved into Assisted Living in Jan ’20 and it couldn’t have been more perfect timing. The virus came in March, and I never would’ve managed on my own. The learning curve wasn’t as steep as anticipated. I love it here. I have a small 400 sq ft apartment with a Barbie-sized fridge and stove. There is a duck pond nearby along a lovely walking path. Feeding ducks and supplementing meals are great pastimes.
The MS front isn’t where I’d like it to be. Foot drop has become leg drop and a slow hand has become almost no hand. So the magic word is ‘adapt.’ And so far I’ve been able to do that pretty good. I love living in Assisted Living as there’s help where and when I need, but they also leave me alone plenty too.
I reconnected with B from grade school a couple years ago. We Facetime every month or two. They have three grown kids, the youngest, a daughter got married this fall after putting it off last summer.
Little people in my life keep me smiling. My seven-year pen pal was here at Halloween with her class and we finally got to meet after 1.5 years of writing. It was delightful. Her class did a parade in costume. It was a very fun!
On the topic of little people, in the summer I painted a fairy picture for her but came across this magical fairyland on a boulevard one day, and couldn’t help but donate it to the cause.
Riding a scooter has its benefits. I don’t know about anyone else’s area, but around here, people leave thrift store stuff out at the end of their driveways. I’ve found some great treasures that I pack home on my scooter. Including a crib and rocking horse for the then-new Grandma and Grandpa, S and J. Even got a few honks, waves and big smiles bringing horsey home from across town!
One of my Covid mainstays is a ladies group that went on Zoom. We have since grown to eight but we original four continue to get together with lots of picnics and outings. Last one was this fall with lunch at Finest at Sea and a walk around the inner harbour path. We always take lots of photos. In fact, I have a whole folder Covid pics – attached are a few selects.
Another mainstay has been walking with my friend R. We’ve seen some great places and talked to some amazing people always learning something very interesting. The superintendent of Beacon Hill Park gave us his trained professional account of the Herons who nest there; a long-standing caretaker at Camosun College gave us a history lesson on the college and its building heritage; and a Fintry Garden’s horticulturist sent us home with a sprig of Kalanchoe after a great rapport of the origin of their house-sized Rhodos. And just last week we ran into and chatted with Mike Farnsworth. All told I put 2000 km on my scooter (July stats) and we fiqure R walked 1500 km of those! She commented “That’s like walking to Calgary! No wonder I wore out a pair of sneakers.”
Been going gang busters on writing projects over both winters. Have a drawer full of rejection letters to prove it! MS of Canada Newsletter Shared Voices published a few articles, the newest one in Dec that I was hoping would be out by now but haven’t seen it yet. I hope to publish a novella (half size novel) in early 2022 after deciding not to risk incompletion of a full length novel. It might raise a few controversial feathers but is my contribution to the world at large in response to Covid. Keep an eye on my website for details if you’re interested. (www.mosartmedia.net)
Irish M was here for a visit in 2020 and Aunt J in 2021. Was great to see them both. In addition to the older folk in my life, I’ve been privileged to be included a couple times a year to lunch with a couple ladies at their homes (rotating). Always with such life-giving conversations.
Doing lots of painting. Set up a small studio and took a watercolor course in the summer. Painted a zoom cup, some fairy pictures and water-colour postcards. As well as plenty of elevator art when Covid first hit. Anonymously of course. Until I got busted…
In general my life is bursting of love, meaning, and fulfillment. An evolution of all I’ve done over my life. Yes, I have MS and it’s progressing but really it is the lesser event in my life. Even with all else that is going on, I see pockets where I can contribute to our world in positive ways and do so. Which has made all the difference in my bubble. And in my heart.
Hope this finds you safe and well. Wishing you all the best for 2022.
Love/Huggs/Blessing,
Mona
