Window Washers

For several spring seasons our aged bodies have been staring up in despair at our dirty windows. Peter felt it was his job as a homeowner to get some exercise by climbing ladders and stretching overhead to scrub and rinse. Last year he got a special device to hold the ladder against the roof, and we found a Windex spray bottle that attaches to the hose. It was my job to steady the ladder and hold my cellphone ready to call 911. The result was better, but still a lot of work.

This year the job seemed to be even worse. We needed the gutters, which had gone from sparkling white to an ugly grey, cleaned too. But our families rebelled, telling Peter it was time to give it up. Let somebody else do it. They said we could find window washers on Google, or from recommendations of neighbours. Or sometimes young kids might come to the door and offer their services. As long as they had references or proof of some sort of a company, and their own tools, it would be OK.

Very soon after one of these conversations, there was a knock at our door. Two guys in their mid-20’s with a folding ladder, a name of a company on their shirts, a scrub brush with a telescoping handle, and a backpack full of cleaning supplies stood in front of us. Like angels. They had just finished a house nearby, they had gutter experience, they could start the next morning and the price was right. Timing is everything.

In case of possible fraud or future house invasions, I took a picture as they left. I am obviously not a trained crime fighter because you can’t really see their faces or their name tags.

But at our age, almost any visitors are welcome. We got up early to have breakfast before the fun began. The guys arrived on time and went to work. One started washing widows, even taking out screens and hosing them down. The other one was the gutter expert. We stayed inside out of their way. Sometimes we got a shock as we went into a bedroom and saw hairy legs through a newly cleaned window. Other times we went outside to pick dandelions and watch the determined scrubbing. It felt like real joy as we followed them making their way around our house.

In about 5 hours they were done. The fun was over. We offered to pay but they asked us to do a walk around the house first – checking their work. We found one small corner that they had missed. They quickly unfolded the ladder and went to work. Then Peter got out his wallet. It was money so well spent.

Finally he went back to his chair, delighted that the job had been done and he hadn’t had to do it. And I hadn’t had to call 911.

Sue

Playing Games

Yesterday the kids next door found a new way to amuse themselves during the summer.

Watching them brought back memories of how we used to amuse ourselves during the 1950’s when the weather was oh so hot. In the city, we roller skated for hours around and around the block. We played hopscotch on the quiet streets. We went to the park and chased each other around blowing bubbles. We got our dads to set up the sprinkler on the hose so we could run through it. And we did a lot of laughing.

These days kids’ toys are much more sophisticated. First they sit around inside with their devices and watch Youtube or play video games. Some of the older ones create videos and games themselves. Then they go on to make millions of dollars by the time they’re 19.

But most of the kids eventually get sent outside by their caregivers. After some complaining, they get on their brand new bikes decked out with bells and streamers and baskets, and they ride around the neighbourhood, dodging oncoming traffic. After they have given several drivers heart attacks they go home and switch to their new scooters – with tiny motors! Ah that’s more like it – no peddling, just steering and veering.

One neighbourhood boy of about 8 made up a new game of coasting on his motorized scooter down the driveway directly onto the street. The game was to see if he could avoid being hit by a car. After all, he was wearing a helmet; he waw invincible! I watched in horror as this game commenced. Then the boy had a close call. A car screeched to a halt and the scooter wobbled to a stop. The driver tore off, shaking his fist in the air! I went over to the boy and told him in a stern voice that he must stop playing this stupid game before he got killed. I even said something corny like “We don’t want our lovely neighbourhood to be spoiled by the vision of a child lying dead on the road.”

Suddenly the father appeared out of the garage and gave me a “mind your own business” kind of look. Then he sauntered over to the boy, patted him on the back, and said “Maybe you should find something else to do, alright son?”

OK so in hindsight that was not my best teachable moment. I could have talked to the boy with more empathy. I could have sent some road safety videos to his device. I could have borrowed a traffic guard uniform and taken up duty at the end of his driveway. I could have bought myself a motorized scooter and followed him around the neighbourhood, calling him a naughty boy.

But I digress. What I really wanted to tell you about was the kids next door, Hudson and Jade. These kids and their parents have somehow found the perfect outside activity. Another, richer, family had discarded a trampoline and left it on the driveway for the garbage collectors. Apparently it was in great shape – they just had other plans for the space in their back yard. Hudson and Jade’s parents dragged it across the street and into their back yard. They bought a new safety net to cover it and voila the kids were in business.

Those kids are on that trampoline all the time. They jump in shorts, in jeans, in snowsuits, and in Hallowe’en costumes. They jump with each other, with friends, and even occasionally with their dad. They have made up all sorts of tricks including: bouncing alternately on legs and then knees, doing random twists, executing somersaults, and figuring out synchronized moves together. They even make up appropriate noises to go with each trick. “look out! yowie! blasting off! somersault special!”

But last weekend on a hot day, they figured out the best one so far. They got out the sprinkler and aimed it at the centre of the trampoline. Voila – a bouncing splash pad!

Oh to be young again…

Sue

Pete and Pele

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of soccer. But Peter has a different point of view entirely. Growing up in Italy, he and his buddies played soccer constantly. The rules were easy to follow, and it was cheap: they could play it on any patch of grass and they didn’t need fancy clothes or expensive equipment.

When Peter’s older brother invited him to a soccer match at Varsity Stadium in the 1960’s he was delighted. When he found out that a world-class star, Pele, would be there, Pete was over the moon. And so were the fans. The stadium was packed, but the fans inside were outnumbered by the wannabe fans on the outside. As the interlopers began climbing the concrete walls, the police noticed. They considered their options. Then they stepped back and let the fans, paying and non-paying, cheer on their team. It was the right call.

Peter’s daughter, Andrea, is also a soccer fan and during the winter she put her heart and soul into finding tickets online for the FIFA World Cup. She managed to come up with at least one pair, for a “friendly” game against Tunisia on March 29th and she offered to take her dad with her. They agreed to meet at the GO station near BMO field. They bundled up because their seats near the field were uncovered and outside. As soon as they met at the GO station, the heavens opened up and, by the time they had run to the stadium, they were almost drenched. Once there, they had to wait because their seats were flooded out. After standing for an hour waiting in damp clothes, they gave up and went home.

But this did not dampen their soccer spirit, not one bit. Nor has weather, or anything else for that matter, affected the spirit of Toronto fans in general. FIFA signs are everywhere. Public transit and roadways are being upgraded. Restaurants and hotels are preparing for huge increases in business. Media coverage is being expanded; even the grass growers for the venues are advertising on TV. Kids of all ages are buying soccer merch.

Peter and I got into the spirit by going on a Toronto heritage walk on Saturday, where the tour leader told us about the history of soccer in Toronto. It was not surprising to learn that soccer was imported to Canada by Scottish immigrants in the mid 1800’s. The first recorded game was played in 1876 at the Toronto Cricket Club. In 1906 the Ontario Soccer League was formed. In 1912 a Canada-wide league was created. And in 1914 Canada joined FIFA. The first World Cup was hosted by Uruguay in 1930. That’s 94 years ago and yet this year marks the first time the World Cup has been partly hosted by Canada. No wonder there’s so much enthusiasm!

The first official venue for soccer in Toronto was Exhibition Stadium, built in 1948 to compliment the facilities at the CNE. It was used as a soccer field and concert venue for many years. The Blue Jays began their Toronto history there as well. But by 1999 the Jays had moved to the Skydome, and Exhibition Stadium was plagued by problems. The weather coming off lake Ontario, even snow in late fall, affected players and fans alike. And the pigeons gathered to consume fans’ leftover snacks and leave their poop behind. The stadium, nicknamed “the mistake by the lake,” was demolished in 1999.

After a lot of fundraising and politicking, enough money was raised to build the new, soccer-specific, BMO Field, on the site. But as readers know, that’s not the end of the story. For the FIFA World Cup, extensive renovations have been needed. Temporary seating, adding seats for 18,000, has brought the fan capacity up to 40,000. New LED scoreboards and video boards have also been added. And there is even heating, just in case.

You can be sure that fans without tickets will try hard to foil the police when the Toronto FC plays the first game on June 12 against Bosnia & Herzegovina. As for Peter, he will be home watching from the comfort of his living room chair. And Pele? He will be watching from another world.

Sue

Doors Open

Despite the rainy weekend, Peter and I went to one of our favourite city events. This is an opportunity for the public to have a peek inside buildings that are normally closed to the public – for free!

On a very rainy Saturday we cut our route down to just 2 buildings, close together. First we stopped at the Goethe Institute, 100 University Ave. It’s a brand new suite of rooms devoted to German culture. The very first room on display offered warm pretzels and apfelstrudel. It was a delicious way to begin our visit.

Another room was devoted to the FIFA World Cup and soccer. We saw a T-shirt that we thought our grandson Gavin would love. But it was not for sale – we had to win it! Contestants had to answer 3 questions about German culture. As we waited in line, we memorized the correct answers from the earlier contestants. But, when it was our turn, we discovered that there were lots of questions, delivered randomly. Busted! We still managed to get 2 out of 3 questions right. And the T-shirt was ours.

You’re welcome, Gavin!

Our next stop was a short subway ride away, at 480 University Ave. An elevator took us to the eleventh floor, the home of HOK Toronto Design Studio. This is an architectural firm famous for many well-known buildings such as: Algonquin College, Memorial University, and Waterloo University. Their most current project, one that comes with some controversy, is the rehabilitation of Centre Block in the Parliament Buildings, including the Senate, the House of Commons, and the Library.

Photo from their brochure

Speakers told us about some of the public discourse, for example: should the front door be expanded and repositioned to make a “statement,” or should it remain partially hidden from view, giving priority to the front lawns where celebrations and other public events take place? It was an interesting point. After so much brain overload, we took a booklet of other projects for future reference, and went home.

On Sunday we waited until the rain finally stopped before venturing out. We grabbed our umbrellas just in case and went to visit a brand new building in a local park. Maybelle Park is a tiny patch of green, an oasis in the middle of towering high rise apartments. The new community centre breathes life into the concrete jungle. It’s a building designed to store equipment, to organize community events, to share a coffee with friends, to host children on a rainy day at camp. It’s a small space with a big purpose.

Notice the bold pigeons resting on top of the sign.

Then we went home, grateful for these experiences organized by the city and local businesses, and thinking about the places we hope to visit next year.

Sue

The Secret Gardens

As all Ontarians know, the May 24th weekend for those who don’t own cottages is the beginning of gardening season. This year the weather was perfect – warm and sunny, although the temperature forecast for the rest of the week is a little disheartening. Tomorrow night there could be low single digits!

Undaunted, we rushed out to some nurseries and searched for the best prices. Then we grabbed up the freshest annuals in our favourite colours, and lugged some bags of potting soil into our trunk. I even picked up new gardening gloves to replace the ones the mice found in the garage during the long winter. Then we sat down to contemplate where to start.

This year, both Peter and I were feeling a bit hesitant to begin this gardening marathon. Peter had turned 80 during the winter and I had dealt with some health issues. Although our house in the city sits on a relatively small property, the previous owners were avid gardeners and planted a Lot of stuff! There are trees and shrubs and hedges and flower gardens all over the place. And they all grow magnificently.

I started off the season by buying a new tool. It’s a Lee Valley invention for old people. It can be a seat or, flipped over, a kneeling pad. Both ways it is something to hold onto while standing up. I already have some good gardening tools – diggers and clippers, and they are all stored in a handy plastic bag with handles. I figured I was all set as I headed to the front yard. I always do the front first, because that’s what people see when they arrive for a visit. It’s gardening vanity.

When I arrived at the garden which runs along beside the front steps and walkway to the front door, I realized a couple of things. First of all my stool would not work on the hilly part at the beginning – it was too wobbly. Second, I remembered that last year I had been dealing with a broken shoulder during May and June and the gardening had somehow been forgotten! Where was the garden anyway? Was it that pile of dead leaves and stumps?

I got down on my knees an began to dig and pull, dig and pull. Soon I came across some tulip stems with their tops bitten off, the remains of some dead annuals from 2 years ago, a travelling vine from a distant ivy plant, and a pot with a plant that is as ancient as the house and has withered old arms and legs, I mean branches.

Meanwhile Peter wasn’t doing much better in the back. Some tomato seeds he had planted inside in March had grown too tall and spindly as they looked for sun. By the time he was ready to plant them outside they were toast. He was devastated. “What about all the people who count on my cherry tomatoes? They are going to be so disappointed!” So he had to stop work and go shopping for small tomato plants.

After I finished the front garden, I headed to the back and found the same neglect. The area where I used to plant bright red annuals as a border had been overtaken by the bushes behind, and some alien plant that was invading my garden right through the chain link fence! I got on my knees again and began to dig. These aliens did not want to leave! And they were accompanied by another foreign species – some kind of mushroom. Were they at least good to eat? No, dear readers, despite being quite distraught, I didn’t poison myself.

Alien species slips through the fence

Then I moved to another area of the back yard where 2 sweet little flowering bushes I had never seen before had sprung up. And after we tidied up the side of the shed, Peter found a tall lilac tree in bloom. Despite all the work, I was really excited with the new discoveries and ready to end the day on this high note. Then Peter pointed out that the rhubarb was growing fast and really needed to be cooked.

This gardening weekend is going to last the entire summer.

Sue

Scammed!

Hard to believe that I could be so blindsided, especially by COSTCO, everyone’s favourite warehouse. People all over Canada have made an exception to the “buy Canada” rule, just so they can continue to stop by at COSTCO and pick up a BBQ chicken or an outdoor shed. But not any longer – not in this house!

Our old dishwasher is the cause. It stopped working last Monday after dinner. Of course, it was full of dirty dishes, so we had to find our dish drying rack and clean up the mess, in our pyjamas. It was a late night. The next morning was full of stress too, with questions such as: how to eat cereal off a paper plate, or whether we should make a mad dash to Timmy’s for or morning coffee. Our old dishwasher was our lifeline, our friend.

We hesitated about what to do next. The dishwasher was a gem, but a 14-year-old gem, ad we all know what happens to parts as they get older, don’t we? We had already had the drainage pump replaced, and this time it seemed like an electrical problem. So we tried our luck with a repairman and he confirmed our worst fears: “Don’t spend any more money on this one. Buy a new one instead. COSTCO has the best prices and they might even install it for you.” I checked on the COSTCO website and found a dishwasher on sale for under $600. Then I posed this question on the screen: Why buy a dishwasher at COSTCO? Here is the answer I received:

Can you see why I didn’t quite read down to see the small print about how installation is included except for gas appliances and dishwashers? Anyway the delivery man was very speedy. He dropped the box in the centre of the kitchen and had me sign a paper saying that I had received delivery. Then he headed for the door, as I called out “How about the installation?” “Oh that’s not my department” he said. “You have to call somebody else for that. The phone number is on your order confirmation.”

He sped away as I frantically searched for the phone number. Of course there was no phone number. I had to search through the COSTCO website to find the Customer Service Number. After 10 minutes of arguing with the clerk, I asked to speak to his supervisor. I argued, I begged, I pleaded. I even blurted out our advanced age! Finally the supervisor offered me a $100 gift card as a “good will gesture” if I kept the machine and called Home Depot for installation. She said it was Easy Peasy. But when I called Home Depot the clerk almost laughed out loud. “What? You want us to install a machine that you didn’t buy here? HA!” Even the supervisor had scammed me.

Dear readers, I admit that I was almost in tears. Meanwhile the boxed dishwasher sat in the middle of the kitchen, blocking the stove. In desperation I texted 2 neighbours, asking if we could come for dinner. No, I’m kidding. I asked them for the name of a reliable plumber who would not be into scamming customers. Finally I called the Appliance Pros and got an appointment for this morning.

So, if there is no blog post next Tuesday, you know where I’ll be – at the kitchen sink washing dishes.

And PS I still have not received the $100 “good will gesture” from COSTCO.

Sue

Univer-city

Many Canadians, who live somewhere other than Toronto, sometimes refer to our great city as the “Centre Of the Universe.” And not in a nice way! But the other day, as Peter and I had a chance to wander down University Ave, we both felt proud.

We started our journey along Hospital Row which is itself a cause for pride. There we passed Sick Kids’ Hospital, and Princess Margaret Hospital, both of which are known world-wide for their specialties. Then we came to Toronto General Hospital which has been chosen as the 2nd best hospital in the entire world. Pretty good, I’d say from personal experience, as I pat my new pacemaker!

Farther down on the right is the Canada Life Building, built in 1931 in the Beaux Arts style. It is particularly well-known for having the oldest weather beacon in Canada on top. The signals are clear: red for cloudy, flashing red for rain, white for snow, and green for sunny. Lights flashing up mean temperature going up, and flashing down means the opposite. The weather “report” is updated every 6 hours, but mostly this winter it has been white! Apparently the interior is magnificently adorned with gold leaf and marble, but we were on the other side of the street and had more things to see.

Back on the left side of the street are the McMurtry Gardens of Justice, enhancing the Superior Court of Justice building. In the gardens’ centre stands a provocative statue called the Pillars Of Justice by Edwina Sandys, 2007. The sculpture denotes the 12 jurors in our justice system, except – one of the jurors is missing. That spot is reserved for us, the ordinary citizens who are called upon to be part of our legal system.

At University and Queen we find the Four Seasons Centre For the Performing Arts. From the outside in the daytime, it’s uninspiring. The entrance looks like a square concrete box. But go inside for an event and enjoy the magnificent glass staircase, and the wood trim which enhance acoustics. Both the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet call this centre home.

Once again on University Ave, we are attracted to a pile of shiny metal on the right. We cross over again to inspect. In front of the Shangri La hotel stands a sculpture titled Rising. And indeed from some angles a dragon arises. This unique sculpture was designed and built in Shanghai, China, 2012, by artist Zhang Huan. In order to transport it to its destination in Toronto, it had to be disassembled, stored in 15 crates, and delivered by ship. Then it had to be re-assembled! The owner of Summit Metal in the village of Nobleton was selected for this painstaking work. Grant Kimber says it took him over 360 hours to assemble and weld all the pieces, including 300 birds, together.

Continuing south we notice the variety of architectural designs. We come upon this streetscape, with an historic church, a couple of modern glass office buildings, Roy Thompson Hall snuggled in between, and Metro Hall in the distance.

Finally we come to an end of University Ave as it intersects Front St,. For the grand finle we we come to a sweet folk art interpretation of our city:

Sue

Words We Live By

In 2026 our day to day vocabulary has changed. For example, the name of my occupation at this moment is not writer, or author, or even editor; it’s “content creator.”

Words we use make a difference. They are our primary tools of communication. They can be easily misunderstood or misinterpreted. How many times, after a heated exchange with someone else, have you said or heard: ” That’s not what I meant!” The clearest example of this kind of misunderstanding was first created in 2017, by President Trump’s Whitehouse Advisor, Kellyanne Conway, when she referred to “alternative facts” as she reported on some fake news. Now alternative facts are all we know from the US government.

Today’s technology provides some good examples of this misinterpretation as we learn a whole new vocabulary. We used to have a couple of words like “swindle” or “fraud” to describe somebody taking advantage of us. “Scam” wasn’t even included in my dictionary of 1998. Now we have an even newer word ” spam” which means something just slightly different but a lot more invasive: an inappropriate or illegal message sent to millions of readers on the Internet.

Then there’s the technological advancement which, only a couple of years ago, was called Artificial Intelligence. So cultivated! So important! Who uses all those sophisticated syllables these days? Today people just think of it as plain old AI, part of life, even as it continues to grow far more destructive to our economy than anything in the past.

As social media takes over our lives, we now know the meaning of “influencers” – people with a lot of charisma, charm, whatever name you want to make up, who can coax us into their beliefs about lifestyle, religion, politics. We begin to “follow” them, not on an innocent path through the woods, but on a virtual journey through a landmine of spam. If they are hosting an event, we can even get an invitation to attend, not by snail mail or even taxi, but “virtually.” We can meet up with other “followers” all over the world, from the privacy of our homes. The socializing arrangements of meeting for coffee in a restaurant, or hoisting a beer in a pub together seem antiquated.

Some of the most formidable influencers perform in the area of “wellness.” It seems that everyone wants to live past 90 these days, and they want to do it well. Most influencers in this field focus on diet; peddling supplements, and pills. Others sell expensive machines like Peleton bikes, Smart Fit mirrors, Dr Ho’s circulation machines. Then there are medications for weight loss, names that were only whispered by druggists in the past. Now Ozempic is a part of everyone’s vocabulary. Will the devoted followers live past 90? Nobody knows for sure.

Words can lead us in many different political directions. They themselves act as influencers. They make the impossible seem normal. Trump’s constant use of the word “war” makes violence seem more acceptable, more commonplace. You’d think that 3 attempts on his life would have a positive effect on him. But no, they just inflame his rhetoric even more. He faced journalist Norah O’Donnell with anger and insults in front of millions of viewers, after she questioned him about it.

In the political world of today, if things aren’t going well between political adversaries, we don’t even have a war. We use a new word to replace those events in the past, which now appear as skirmishes between small foreign countries, like North Korea or Iraq. These days influencers are calling the current world situation an “existential threat.” Let’s all hope that this multi-syllable word doesn’t become part of our everyday vocabulary.

Sue

Toronto In a Day

Last week we had friends Louis and Dennis, visiting from Ottawa. Since they hadn’t been to Toronto for more than 20 years, they were anxious to see all of our new buildings and attractions. They couldn’t stay very long, so we had just one day to accomplish this.. Peter and I gladly accepted the challenge. We put on our running shoes, packed our umbrellas, and set off. It was just after 10:00 am.

We took our first subway ride from our stop at Old Mill to Bloor and St George. This is near the apartment where Louise and I lived together with another friend while we attended the Ontario College of education. (Three girls living in a tiny apartment with one bathroom is another post entirely, so I’ll move on). The Royal Conservatory Of Music has added Koerner Hall, an ultra-modern concert venue snuggled up beside a majestic old edifice. As we walked farther along Bloor we got to the ROM Crystal. Dennis had read about the controversy surrounding this addition and was anxious to view it for himself. Unfortunately the Crystal, less than 20 years old, is already being reconstructed. Our stop there was short.

Then we took our next subway ride south along University to Dundas. The trip was free since it had been less than 2 hours since our last ride. We walked over to the AGO and discovered that this building too has construction going on inside. And, since our time was limited, the entrance fee of $30 per person seemed a little pricey. Instead, we checked the wood-enhanced lobby and admired the glass and wood facade, all designed by Frank Gehry. Then we walked back to University Ave where we got on the subway, once again for free. We rode south to Union Station and walked down York St. to the waterfront.

Here we stopped to admire Love Park, created by the late Claude Cormier, a well-know landscape artist. Dennis tried to find a tree he could climb so he could take a picture of the heart-shaped pond from above, while the rest of us took in the view of the CN Tower and the boats on the water. Then we walked along the shoreline, all of it newly developed in the last 20 years. We passed unique shops, the market area which is bustling with cultural vents during the summer, and a wave-like sculpture made of wood; every little kid’s dream of a skateboard park. Sadly, skateboarding is prohibited on this piece of art.

Finally we reached our destination; the Amsterdam Brewhouse. This pub/restaurant is a favourite spot for Peter and me during the summer. It has a huge patio along the waterfront with an amazing view of the islands, and the ferries, and the small planes landing at Billy Bishop airport. We got a window seat and ordered beers and lunch. By the time we had finished, it was after 2:00 pm and we had 2 more stops to make. Actually 3, if you count the bathroom.

We walked back to the subway and went north to the stop which Louise and Dennis called Dundas. We had to spend a few minutes explaining that this stop was now TMU, and Dundas Square was now Sankofa. Next Louise and I headed towards the Eaton Centre as Peter and Dennis cried out in horror. They hadn’t realized that this tour included shopping. Really??

Then the truth came out – we were all too tired for shopping or much else. We had walked far more than 10,000 steps. We looked around, found a comfortable bench that would hold 4, and sat there for half an hour. Then we took our 4th subway ride north to College St and ended our tour at one of Canada’s National Historic Sites: the CARLU.

Opened in 1932, this venue, part of the former Eaton’s College St, has hosted Royalty on several occasions. The Round Room, where a Lalique crystal fountain takes centre stage, was a high-end restaurant for many years. The Concert Hall has seen performers like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. Pianist Glen Gould claimed that the acoustics were the best in Canada. The venue is only open for special occasions.

So how did we get in? The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund Management team holds an annual meeting there and, since we were all teachers before retiring, we were invited. The meeting was informative and the food and drinks were even better. But what we loved the most, after our busy day, were the sofas! relaxing there was the perfect way to end our tour of Toronto In a Day.

Sue

To the Moon.. And Back!

My post on March 31, about the astronauts and their recent trip to the moon, received a lot of feedback.

Several readers brought it up at restaurants, on the phone, and by email. The subject even caused a major discussion, with a few raised voices, at Easter Dinner. The arguments for and against are based on feasibility. Those of us in love with the moon argued on the side of hope. Just think of the idea of a new start for humanity! No more climate disaster. No more wars. No more autocrats!

The naysayers felt differently: How could one even begin to build a livable settlement there without vegetation, water and especially AIR? The costs would be astronomical ( forgive the pun). And as for money, what about all the starving people in Gaza? Or homeless people in our own country, never mind Ukraine and Lebanon? And this doesn’t even account for all the money foolishly wasted on weapons of war.

One devoted reader of my posts usually sends very positive comments. Not this time. She began with “Please forgive me.” oh oh. Then she went on to say that it is “a childish fantasy to consider relocating our civilization to another planet” when we can Barely manage this one. That last part is certainly true!

A few days later she sent me some music, a Bette Midler song you probably know: “From a distance the world looks blue and green …there is harmony and it echoes through the land… the voice of hope… the voice of peace…. the voice of every man…” Jeremy Hansen would probably agree.

Then, after more thought, this same reader sent me a song by Ernie of Sesame Street fame. An adorable little video of Ernie the philosopher goes like this:
“Oh I’d like to visit the moon, but I don’t think I’d like to live there. I’d like to look down on the earth from above, but I’d miss all the places and people I love.” It’s a Youtube video and worth playing to your grandkids. Thank you so much Dorita.

Check it out on the Youtube channel

Meanwhile, back at home: the astronauts landed safely. All four emerged from their capsule into the bright sunshine, no doubt grateful for the ride, but happy to be home again. Their trip produced an incredible amount of data: using new technology to photograph the moon’s surface, checking out new communication tools, trying out the spacecraft’s design for living in a confined area with other people for an extended period of time.

And they came home in time to welcome Spring.

Yes! Spring IS here! The dirty piles of brown slush have finally melted. The snow tires are put away. The Blue Jays have begun their season. Our double duty oleander bush has been moved, from inside where it sits at Christmas festooned with lights, to the back yard patio where it blooms in bright red flowers all summer.

The first robin, plump with possibility, visited our driveway:

Actually, I would really miss the changing seasons on the moon.

Sue