18 Days in Ottawa
My daily schedule is unvarying, play fiddle and guitar in
the morning for a couple of hours, an afternoon bike ride along the
many bike paths ending up with a visit with my dad
in the Bruyere hospital, then back home to cook a Valley meal
for my mom. My mom and I go on short Valley road trips to visit the
relatives that are still left
- they're a great bunch and I always look forward to these
visits - more than they do I suspect - but they all live so close to each
other and take visits for granted.
I have the best visit I've ever had with my mom.
The time with my dad is somehow well spent as well. Heartbraking at times,
but I like to think he's come to terms with his situation. At least he
doesn't talk about it anymore.
My appreciation of my
parents is on the upswing. I'm sure it will peak long after they're gone.
I play music with my high-school pal Doug Bryce.
We used to listen to the Rolling
Stones in our suburban basements choking down beer
in grade 9 in the 12x5 days. Years later we discover that we both
developed an interest in fiddle tunes. Doug is a pretty good fiddler so its a
real treat to connect again on fresh ground after all these years. The
grandiose plans I had for an Ottawa music event
don't pan out. I envisioned Fern in
Uxbridge ON, Peter &
Veronica - visiting from BC in Bracebridge ON,
Doug and me connecting with another pure character
from my Ottawa past Don Givogue for a music night with his
spinster farm neighbor Helen in Mayo
Quebec who sings and plays old-time tunes and never left the farm.
