I awoke to find the sun beating on the front of the tent and warmth in the air around me. No longer able to spring up and out of bed I slowly sat up, worried that I had slept the day away… sun was forecast for very late this afternoon!
A shadow came up to the tent and i quickly realized it was morning tea person… I hadn’t ever seen her deliver each morning, but we spoke to each other and then she left.
I unzipped the tent, noticed the sun just coming up the side of the hill and realized with the tea delivery, it was still early and I was lucky to be seeing an unexpected period of sunshine.
Today is going home day, well, later this evening, but going home none the less. But there was no rush… in the past I would have been working out my plan and scheduling all of my moves and I decided we would start by drinking some tea. The rest could be handled at some point.
I gathered what I needed to take with me everywhere - my backpack with extra petition pages, flyers, iPad, socks, and other things I have accumulated over my travels, and my purse with my phone. Put my hoodie on, the jean jacket and then wrestled my feet into my boots. Off we go to Tim’s for breakfast. I only have 425 points left, and that’s enough to cover my coffee only so the rest of my breakfast would have to come out of the money I’ve been given… and that was starting to run low. I enjoyed my coffee and my breakfast sandwich and read my book, thinking to leave the social media check ins and updates until I got to my office… the blue chair and round table at the Fleming centre, the one in the centre, up against the ice rink windows. Finishing the book, I decided that meant it was time to leave and go to the library.
It was a great day for walking, cold, yes. Dry, YES! I took my usual route, starting to feel like Ilived here, finding all the shortcuts and getting to the Library very quickly. I grabbed another book… after all, I allowed five in a year, and this was my third one! As usual, the staff in the Library were wonderful, making eye contact, speaking directly with me… I felt seen and that was a good feeling.
My “desk” was taken, so I relocated, and settled in, checking FaceBook, mine and the church’s; going through notifications, answering as many questions as I could see, tried to correct a few misunderstandings, poked a few not-so-nice-commenters and then decided I have had enough of all of this social media stuff and went back to reading.
As you can see, this was not going to be a day of great happenings. I wanted to be there, wild-haired and messy looking, taking up space in the lobby of the very busy arena, so that I could be seen by the Hockey Families. I noticed people looking at me “sideways” and smiled before they looked away quickly. It seems that I caught the attention of two Town staffers. Never smiling, but always looking at me, when I looked at them. That’s okay… I welcomed a chance to speak with someone for the Town… anyone! I’ve only spoken to Mike and Mike, ByLaw Dudes. Seems today wasn't the day for that either.
When the noise level and screaming children noises had gotten to the point that I just couldn’t take anymore, I walked back to the tent, it was time to start packing up. I saw a woman crossing in front of the church and went to speak with her. We discussed Sam O’s visit and she signed the petition. It was a nice visit as I didn’t know this person and I appreciated that she took time off out her Saturday to sign the petition. Time to get packing… I didn’t have much, so it didn’t take long before it was all in the car (that had been sitting in the church parking lot the whole time - not being used at all), ready for me to drive it home later.
My plan was to wait for Armand (Husband) to be dropped off by his brother, after dinner tonight and then we would go home together, So having time to kill, back to the Fleming Centre I went.
I was visited by an elder of our congregation, it was a very pleasant surprise. We spoke for a while and then she went home before the sun got too low in the sky to be driving safely. Shortly after that, a woman surprised me by quickly sitting in the chair and saying, “where is this petition then!”. She had her daughter with me, who shared that she had been living in Hamilton, but was now back with her Mom in Grimsby because she just couldn’t afford to stay in Hamilton and was pretty much homeless. I said it was good to have a support system to help get you back on your feet, and shared that I always knew that between Armand’s and my families, we would have a home if we needed one, not a safety net everyone has. The two of them signed the petition, bade me well and went off to do their Saturday.
Today’s fun activity, other than endless hours of hockey, was a free skate sponsored by a real estate company this afternoon and there were many people coming and going… grabbing free Tim Bit’s and shopping bags emblazoned with the real estate person’s name. Filed that away as a community activity the church could try. But it was too loud again, and although I had some people looking over with my last two visitors and although the petition was still out in plain view, no new signers stepped up.
I needed to get out of the noise again so decided supper might be a good idea. As i was walking along King before getting the church a woman called from her porch and joking me on the sidewalk. I had know her very well many years ago and hadn’t kept in touch any better than just following each other on Facebook. We walked and talked all the way back to the church and stood there talking a bit more. She shared stories of her family and a siblings struggle, and we talked about how hard life has gotten. My tummy was rumbling so we parted as the sky started to fill with an unusual orange sunset high in the clouds.
I treated to myself to a burger at the new burger place in the plaza across from the church, We The Finest Burger Co. Delicious. A bit more than I’ve been spending on food this past week and more food than I have eaten most nights, and very good! My tummy is quite full.
I’m just hanging out now at the church, waiting for Armand. I am very very tired, and sore, and really want to go home. This past seven days ? has it been that many days? They have been joyous, trying, painful, tearful, anxiety-filled, happy, worth while days of pushing as hard as I could against a might hard rock and I am so thankful for all of the support, that without, I would never have made it.
My soul was damaged this week, but I am healing. My heart got broken a few times, but I am healing
My body has been beaten by the cold and the rain, but I am healing
I am going home, and many aren’t. I will stay in my home, and many more will lose theirs.
I will gather the people who supported me, and together we will find a way to get the support to those who need it, and build a better system so people won’t ever have to go through what I just did.
Thank you.
Amazing! Thank you.
ReplyDelete