I'm not sure where to start ...

A lot has happened since I last prattled at you; like a couple of mini strokes and an ill-timed visit to Toronto.

And now like most of you I am staying at home and only walking in the neighbourhood.  I really miss exploring the many wonderful trails here in Nova Scotia; but we've been told that if we have to drive to a trail -- it's too far away.

Spring is famous for being late here.  We can't plant most things until late May !  So I've ordered a seed catalogue and a plastic greenhouse to help me get through until then.

My trip to Toronto had been booked some months ago to coincide with my 70th birthday.  When I left Halifax on March 12 Covid was just being spoken of but within a day of my arriving things as you know accelerated exponentially.  Rather than staying with family in Toronto I ended up in Peterborough.  

Gifts from Sandy

The surprise party list

My friend Sandy had arranged a surprise birthday party for me; which for obvious reasons never happened.

During my stay at |Sandy's, things switched up from good night hugs to a parting "namaste".

My brother drove down from Ottawa and it was so difficult not to hug and kiss him.  Things were in a state of flux and we had a breakfast at the local Holiday Inn where we were the only customers.  The next day the restaurant closed entirely.

My chum Pat took me to visit her horse Babe.

I managed to hook up with friends Sue and Julie in Peterborough.  Social distancing was just starting to be mentioned and I'm retroactively concerned that we stood so close together.

Things changed daily at an alarming rate.

I was due to fly back to Halifax on Thursday March 19.  As things ratcheted up I thought it would be better if I went home sooner; so I went on-line and for $178 changed my return flight to Wednesday.  Three hours after changing my flight I got an email from Porter Airlines.  The subject line was a real eye-catcher.  It read:  "RETURN HOME IMMEDIATELY" !

I'd arrived on Thursday the 12th and here it was Monday the 16th and I once more switched my return flight only this time to the very next day, my birthday, Tuesday March 17.  It was interesting to change a flight and have no dollar figures showing for flights.

I'm glad I was flying on Porter which does not fly into Toronto International but rather into the small Toronto Island Airport called Billy Bishop Airport.

I bought a bus ticket from Peterborough to Toronto but my sweet nephew Keith insisted on driving to Peterborough to pick me up and drive me back to the city.

A tunnel connects the island airport to the mainland.  This is that tunnel at mid-day on the 17th.

I love to fly.   It is quite magical.  We often take it for granted.  I am riveted to my window, marvelling at the view below.   The island airport from which we had just taken off, is at the middle left in this photo.

I quickly discovered that when I looked at the plane's propeller on my phone's camera screen,  fascinating illusions appeared.  

Propeller "flying off"

"Melting" propellers

I've seen car tires in commercials that seem to be turning backwards.  I would guess the illusions we see here have to do with the speed of the props VS the speed of the film, with the added factor of the curve of the window pane.

To my eyes the pops were spinning so fast  as to be invisible. But on the camera screen they stopped.  Sometimes a prop would seem to be missing or even "flying off".  It was highly entertaining.

There should be SIX props.  

Have you ever noticed this phenomenon ?

Our shadow chasing us.

My birthday lunch. White wine and kettle chips at 25,000 feet !

Mystery lake. I'd love to follow a super-detailed map as we're flying so I can track our progress.

Been home over a week and roaring boredom has convinced me to write a blog about my recent doings.

About the TISs or mini strokes, thanks to our health care system I had a catscan and MRI and am on meds to control high blood pressure.

Now if something could be done to forward spring so I can go out and play in the dirt.

Stay well my friends.  Maintain social distances and do not go out unless absolutely necessary.

Sending you virtual hugs.

If you get a chance, let me know how you are amusing yourself in these interesting times.

If it's Tuesday, this must be Toronto.

I was raised on Musicals. I grew up thinking that all families were obsessed with Musicals.

On car road trips my mom, dad, brother and I, would play a game where someone would sing a line from a song, and someone else would have to sing the next line, or perhaps sing a line from another song from the same Musical. We all thought this was great fun.

My  beloved dad worked as the House Manager at the O'Keefe Centre in Toronto back in the heyday of musical theatre.  The O'Keefe's official opening in October of 1960 was celebrated with the world premier of "Camelot" starring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet.  Sadly being only 10 years old, I fell asleep and missed most of the second act.  As time went on big musicals would use Toronto, specifically The O'Keefe  as their "try out" location before heading to Broadway with the result that I was immersed in musicals throughout my formative teen years.

I am delighted to report that that love of musical theatre is shared by my daughter, Kaitlyn, who at age eight, asked for row seats to "Phantom of the Opera" for her Birthday.

This all goes to explain why Kait and I flew to Toronto last Tuesday afternoon, saw two musicals, and then flew back to Halifax on Thursday afternoon !

The story begins last June when I discovered that the cheeky musical "The Book of Mormon" would be coming to Toronto in September.  The die was cast when I realized that "Wicked" would be in Toronto at the same time!  On-line tickets were ordered, a Porter Airline seat sale was taken advantage of, and three months later we were off on our much-anticipated adventure.

Toronto's distinctive skyline.  See the SkyDome and the CN Tower ?

Flying into the small island airport on Porter Airlines you are presented with stunning views of downtown Toronto. 

We are lucky enough to have wonderful family who live in the core of the City and let us flop with them, took us out for a lovely dinner and just generally made us not feel like free-loaders.

In a frenzy of flights and transit and walks, the big trip has come and gone.

The Toronto I visited, is so very different from the Toronto of my childhood.  I felt intimidated, thrilled and  over-whelmed by a feeling of not belonging.  As the saying goes: "A great place to visit: but I wouldn't want to live there".  Kait felt quite the opposite: she loved the excitement, crowds and frenzy of of the City.

Took me a bit to figure out how my hand was reflected in that far off building. 

Dundas Street approaching Yonge.

On Wednesday I met up with a dear friend for lunch at Milestones.

Me and my good friend, Bonnie.

I must admit that there is a beauty to the City, but I found the stunning contrasts of the pretty people walking past the beggars most troubling.  I struggled with how to deal with them too: giving to some and speaking to others.  I just wonder if at some point, I too would find it easier just to walk by ...

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And then of course there were the shows.

I loved each of them for very different reasons.  I know the music from both shows well, and though I knew the story of each, I found "The Book of Mormon" to be a grittier than I expected.  Each musical won a "Best Musical".   Here is the hit song "Defying Gravity" from the 2004 Tony Awards introduced by Joel Grey who played The Wizard.  Book of Mormon won its award in 2012 and "I Believe" is our anti-hero's touching statement of his suddenly rattled. Mormon faith.

 I think you either like musicals or they just aren't your cup of tea.  There seems to be no middle ground.  Which camp do you fall into ?  

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