Post 29/2024 Goshen Indiana. Marianne stays at home in her senior community in New Hamburg, Ontario. She doesn’t drive anymore. Eschews WIFI. Is happy to stay mostly put. Yet this nurse who practiced in northern Canadian regions and in southwestern Ontario and served with her husband Ray in Botswana, is as active as almost ever.

Marianne is active in church, family, neighborhood and community. Everybody knows her. I had the privilege to be the best man at her and Ray’s wedding. Ray, dear friend, died a few years ago.

This painting in the Penlee House Gallery in Penzance, Cornwall, UK, captures the grace, taste, and joy of tea with Marianne. She served tea to us and long-time friends Cleo and Joan last week. Delightful time. Tea included homemade scones and jam and raspberry sour cream pie. Our conversation spanned from now to more than 50 years ago. Dear friends are keepers.

To interact with some friends, one must travel. Eschew hasty hellos and goodbyes. Dive deep. Let the moments balloon. Have a second cup of tea. Hug twice.

Travelers worldwide via air on Friday faced cancelations and delays occasioned by a glitch in a computer program upgrade. Made for mayhem in trying to get somewhere as planned. Weather, too, has affected both travelers and people who stay at home, given storms, power outages, floods, wild fires and evacuations.

The short and long of it is that being away from home as well as staying at home has, on the face of it, much to recommend it.

Travel home

Our trip home from Ontario on Tuesday could have been more eventful than it was. We waited until midmorning for the rain to let up and then got underway, standing water evident for the first hour. From London we traveled toward Sarnia on highway 22 parallel to the 402 freeway. When we saw long lines of trucks and cars meet us, we figured that something was amiss on the 402. Sure enough, the heavy rainfall had flooded the highway for a considerable stretch and made it impassible, diverting the traffic to a two-lane highway. We were able to continue merrily on our way under sunny skies.

Hobby of sorts

One dry stone “cairn” (left) has stayed upright for two weeks. The other two I built this week. No matter if they stay standing for a month or a day, I am awed by the power of balance. And happy that I can play and imagine with these stones collected from near and far.

Bloom and croak, ribbit, grunt time

Be well, wherever you are.

-John