Day Five… Part Two… Radio, TV, and a Politician!

Thursday morning… it’s radio interview time.. LIVE radio!  Bonnie’s producer called at 7:45 a.m., just like she said he would and then we were off.  I think it went well, I think because I didn’t think, I just spoke.  I was cold, I was tired, I hadn’t had any tea or coffee yet, but I has so energized to get this interview right.  I wasn’t getting the press coverage I thought this project would generate so I needed each event to be perfect.

Bonnie on 610AM was soooo easy to talk to, it was painless and over in no time at all.  My reporter husband Armand said it was a good interview and from him, that’s a compliment!

Breakfast was homemade oatmeal and tea, both left by early rising supporters, and both warmed me up quite nicely.  It was wet. It was cold, but I was dry and well.

9:30 is when the Trinity Men’s Group meets for their study group and they had asked me to pop in for a chat.  It was great.  They listened to my adventures, they asked great questions, i had cheese and crackers for a snack and I think it went well.

Visited with Reverend Jane, and listened to a lecture about how I needed to rely on the congregation more for support.  A member had offered to come help me secure the tent area so I wouldn’t have so many issues and I said no, because other homeless people wouldn’t have the benefit of his time and skills.  Rev. Jane is very good at what she does and by the time she was finished I had to agree that she was right… people living in an encampment do that on purpose… so they can rely on each other in times of need - need greater than homelessness and poverty - like losing their tent in a storm.  So I could accept help with fixing things and not need to worry about breaking my most important rule.  

While I waited for my knight in shining armor, I was off across the street to dry all the wet stuff from last night.  I got everything in the dryer and started up and then saw him at the tent and off I went back across the street!

Between us we engineered a wind block to keep the devil-north-wind off my tent.  It looks very good, it’s very sturdy and I have a lot of confidence in its ability to make things better.

The Rev called.  CHCH was coming again! 

Back across the street to get my dry clothes, which I have to change into immediately as they were so warm and i was sooooo cold!  Thankfully there wasn't anyone there as I ended up in my under-layer at one point.

 And then a visitor, in the laundry mat.  A women seeking the nomination for the Ontario Liberal Party in Niagara West.  We had a very good conversation - oh so important are conversations - and educated each other in different ways.  I was happy to spend time talking with her, but it was time to get across the street for the CHCH interview.

Which was late!  It was just starting to rain when the reporter pulled up.  We had a great interview and then he spoke to Reverend Jane and then he followed me around with a camera for a bit.  I felt awkward, but I hear the piece on the 6 o’clock news was great.  Maybe this is what we need to get a certain MPP out to visit us!

Off to the Fleming Centre, rain coming down a bit.  Ran into a woman who I saw last night as she took her dog out while was wrestling with the tent.  She asked me something like, “did you make it through the night okay?”, and I said it was a very hard night and she said “I know, I saw you fixing your tent”.  I just walked on.  I was too tired to be sure that what I said next wasn’t something I would regret.

Besides… I had a mission today.  It was take a shower day.  I had heard a rumor from more than one source that there was a women’s dressing room in the arena that had a lock on the door and a shower!  A friend had dropped off a towel and some soaps when she heard my plans for today and I was going to find and enjoy that shower.  It was super busy with people so I found a table, not my usual spot, had some lunch, answered some emails, some texts, some messages, and then packed up and went to find the shower. 

It was located exactly where my sources said and it was true… the door locked, there was a shower, a toilet, benches and a thermostat to raise the heat in the room very quickly and best of all, there was HOT water.  Lots of it.  My back got a good warming - it was quite sore from the flying attempt of last night - my legs were warmed, my skin got a good lather of soap and I felt more human in those few minutes than I have since Saturday.

I went back after I was dried and clothed and sat at my table and found a post from Sam Oosterhoff that he wanted to meet.  I think this is in the right order… bit confused.  I conversed with him through facebook, got totally messed up about how to get my phone number to him and resorted to that old fashioned way… I left a voice mail message at his office!

I assumed that would be the end of it and a friend arrived with some coffee so we had a great chat like we always do and I was thankful for this blessing that I know not everyone has, a person who listens, responds with care and makes me laugh.  We talked about the shower and how I hadn’t said anything to the staff about using it as I would hate to see it get locked. ANd we mentioned again how considering the amount of time I spend in the Fleming Centre it was odd that none of the staff said hi.

Then right after she left, Sam’s office calls and says Sam is on his way.  Right now.  He’s in Grimsby. ANd he wants to meet at the church.  And I’m like… can’t we do tomorrow?  I didn’t want to be difficult but I wanted Rev Jane or my friend to be there, and I didn’t know if i could get them there fast enough.  Sam’s PA explained the very complicated schedule of meetings and announcements and such and said 5pm it must be.  Then as I am calling Rev Jane, he texts… 5:30 and THEN i get a call and he’s changing to Saturday at 12, and then while I’m stopping Rev Jane from rushing back from St. Catharines, he texts back 12:30!

So that was settled, I think!  Still waiting for a new time to be texted!

I had been corresponding with a Realtor from Thorold who wanted to come for a chat, and she arrived right on schedule with some very very good roasted red pepper soup.  We had just sat down and along comes… SAM!  I said “Sam, you’re not supposed to be here… you’re supposed to be at a meeting Sam!”  He said he just wanted to touch base and make sure I was okay.  I introduced him to my new-Realtor-friend and they chatted about real estate and housing markets so I ate soup.  Yum.  Sam left and my Realtor Friend and I talked and talked and talked and realized we are kindred spirits and I have enlisted her help for this project further down the line in the new year.  So looking forward to that!

Time for me to be off.  I walked back to the tent to check all was well, check the petition book, and made my way to Conversations Cafe.  Thanks to a kind donation I had a $20 gift Card and that covered almost all of my salad and sandwich with a tea.

And that is where I am, typing out this latest blog entry.  Fed, warm and happy, knowing how much support I have, how many people want to see this project succeed.

Oh, sidebar, seems a newspaper that said they couldn’t come out and see me this week has changed their mind and will be by for an interview with myself and Rev Jane at 10:30 a.m.  

So night night everyone… remember, when you think it really is over, it has only just begun, or at least that’s how it works in my world!

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