treasure

Perhaps one day I'll tire of the morning view from Bruce's balcony, but I don't think so. Wait - have I said that before?

 I walked around Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park this morning. Swans are nesting. Then I went to the liquor store to buy some Prosecco for Chris.

 Had lunch with old friend Tara in Kitsilano on Yew St., above. Every street in this city is lined with flowering trees, pinks and whites, it's incredible. And today was supposed to rain. Hah! Tara is writing non-fiction and we had much to discuss as we sat outside in the hot sun, including children, grandchildren, travel, and how to structure a book that has both research and personal story.

From the mini-ferry back to the West End. This is looking at Bruce's apartment, somewhere there in the middle behind a tree.

Believe it or not, I had my doubts about this trip to Vancouver. I wondered if I'd feel isolated and lonely, wondering what the hell I was doing here and wanting to go home where I belong. And instead, this has so far been one of the best get-aways of my life. I have been tremendously lucky with the weather, no question. But my hunch, that here where I lived and worked for 8 years it'd be valuable to reconnect with old friends, has proven true. Not just my bestie Chris, with whom I've kept in touch, but others with whom I haven't - now we have time to get to know each other again. And Bruce's place is the ideal nest, because though it's a small apartment, with his wall of windows on the ocean I never feel alone or enclosed. And there's a piano on which I make painful noises.

Today, I had a chance to say hello to one of my father's dearest friends, David Suzuki, one of my own heroes, a man so vigorous and alive, he makes people 50 years his junior look feeble. He signed and gave me his book, "Letters to my grandchildren." Treasure.

P.S. Part of my bliss might be also that I am not reading a newspaper regularly here, just whenever I happen to see one or see some news on-line. So do not have to think so much about Donald Trump or Ted Cruz or terrorists. Yet Bruce has PBS and last night I watched the season premieres of both Call the Midwife (brilliant and moving) and Grantchester (delicious). Talk about bliss!

PPS. My friend and neighbour Gretchen just wrote from Toronto, "I'd say your view is better!" and sent this view from her kitchen window. I'd say she's right.

PPPS Tara just texted that there's a whale in the inlet near their house just across English Bay from me. "Maybe it'll come your way," she said. I'm looking through Bruce's binoculars. Not often that I spend a quiet Monday night watching for a whale.