A while ago I started thinking about how to celebrate Easter on this site.

First I pondered on Lent. Maybe I could give up something for 40 days the way I used to give up candy for Lent when I was a kid. But now I don’t really eat that much candy. (And don’t even mention giving up wine. During a pandemic? Never). Next I considered making a cake – an Easter Bunny with floppy ears and whiskers. But the grandkids really prefer hunting for Easter eggs in the back yard, and the adults say they don’t need more desserts.

Then I wondered about dragging Peter to Germany to watch the Passion Play. This is a once-in-a-decade event, sponsored by the people of Oberammergau who, way back in 1633, asked God to save them from the plague in exchange for this play which they promised to present every 10 years, (and have done so for 388 years including 2022). The theatre holds 4500 people and the show runs from May through October. But Peter gets antsy siting through a whole Mirvish Musical. He might not be too keen on sitting through 6 hours of religious suffering.

The Passion Play is the story of Jesus’ life, culminating with his final journey to the crucifixion. The last part of the story, one of violence and suffering with a vision of hope at the end, is often reproduced as “Stations Of the Cross.” Sixteen stations, from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Resurrection, show the last hours of Christ’s life. They are sometimes set up inside churches, for example St. Michael’s in Toronto. There are 16 permanent outdoor stations at Marylake Estates in King City where visitors can walk the pathway, stopping at each station and praying or saying the rosary. The most famous permanent display of Stations Of the Cross is in Jerusalem.

If you don’t want to travel that far, you can make the pilgrimage this year in downtown Toronto. Several arts and religious groups have organized an exhibit of the Stations. Called “Crossings,” 11 of the Stations are on the University of Toronto Campus and 5 more are on church properties at Yonge and St. Clair. The walk can take up to 3 hours, or you can cheat, like Peter and I did, and take the subway part-way.

Each station/exhibit is a piece created by a local artist. Some are paintings, some are bronze sculptures and some mixed media. The one of Christ’s final hours on the cross shows incredible suffering, and a crown of thorns dropping blood hangs nearby. The last piece, “Resurrection,” is a joyful image done in pottery.

No matter how you choose to spend Easter this year, I hope you find time to be thankful for all the blessings we have (including vaccines). And try not to get too much chocolate on your mask.

Sue

Guess where Peter and I went on Saturday night? Nowhere! Now it’s true that we are old and often go nowhere on a Saturday night. But this past Saturday was supposed to be different.

Way back in the “before times” 2020, we were invited to an April wedding – Peter’s nephew. We were really looking forward to a night of spending time with family, eating delicious food, and maybe even dancing, (if I could find comfortable shoes). Well, you know how those plans went. The wedding was postponed to October 2020 and then April 2021.

The poor couple were beside themselves. They wanted to get on with their married lives. So they decided to hold the church wedding last April, with limited family guests, and then postpone the reception till this April – 2022. The church serviced last year was lovely, although the priest warned us in no uncertain terms to go directly to our cars after the service – no chatting, and definitely no hugging. Since then the bride and groom have settled into their new lives together and even had…you guessed it…a baby!

And that brings us to now – April 2022. At the end of March I went shopping for a new dress. I found appropriate jewellery and put some stretchers in my fancy shoes. I booked my hair appointment for the day before the wedding. As I drove home with my new hair do, I fantasized about being at a party where somebody else cooked the food, socializing with family members we have hardly seen in 2 years, and meeting baby Sofia.

When I got home and prepared to show off my new hair “look,” Peter was sitting in his chair with his new “forlorn” look and a thermometer in his mouth. Oh No! I got out the unused rapid antigen tests and began to read the instructions. It took a little while to assemble all the bits and pieces. Then came the nose swabbing and sneezing. Finally the results – positive!

Aggghhh! So what to do now? We called Pete’s doctor and got the instructions: isolate for 5 days and then take another test. If negative, then resume your regular life. As for the wife – isolate too and try to stay away from Peter – easier said than done in a 3-bedroom bungalow. We quickly became territorial. Who gets the upstairs bathroom and who has to go to the basement? Who gets to sleep in the master bedroom and who gets the couch in the sunroom? Who gets the big TV and who makes do with the little one? The sick person definitely has more bargaining power.

The next hurdle was calling the parents of the bride and groom to tell them our sad news. Imagine our surprise when they said that 2 other uncles had Covid too. The mother quipped: “By the end of the wedding we might All have Covid!” And maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. Three vaccines plus a dose of the real thing surely means total immunity, right?

Peter spent a few days feeling sick with a cough and a sore throat, but today he is doing better. He plans to test himself again today to see if it is safe to resume his life. As for me, I am still OK. Maybe all that hiding in the sunroom worked.

Meanwhile we wish the bride and groom a wonderful life together. They deserve it after going through all those wedding delays. And if you know anyone who wants to borrow a brand new dress, suitable for a lady of a certain age to wear to a wedding, let me know.

Sue

Last week Peter and I went to our second movie in as many years. There were 10 of us altogether in a theatre meant to hold at least 200. Needless to say, we felt very safe. The movie was ideal – passionate romance, beautiful clothes, exotic scenery, lots of red herrings, and an elusive killer. We had just finished dinner and had to pass on the popcorn. But otherwise it was perfectly entertaining.

But it was not one of the movies nominated for an Academy Award. We decided to watch the Oscars on Sunday night anyway, not wanting to miss any of the action. The women wore the usual glamorous gowns showing lots of cleavage. Many of the men went all out, wearing velvet tuxedo jackets in navy or forest green, and there were a couple of daring guys wearing suits with decals. One had flowers all down one side of the jacket and pants, and another had butterflies in the same places. John Travolta had neither tuxedo nor hair. Imagine all those slicked-back wavy locks with sideburns – all gone!

There were the predictable emotional moments when old stars showed up: the 3 amigos from the Godfather era, Liza Minelli in a wheelchair, supported by Lady Gaga, a song of hope dedicated to the people of Ukraine. And the highlight of the night – Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, then blubbering like a baby afterwards, calling for love and peace. Despite cutting some awards, the show was still 3 1/2 hours long. Well past our bedtime.

We live in a city that is known worldwide as Holly wood North, a good place to film movies. Why? Because: we have a large pool of talented multicultural actors. We have thousands of professional sound engineers, animators, designers, editors, and other technicians. The industry has created partnerships with 11 Toronto high schools, which can be used as locations and for education co-op placements. The city has over 2 million feet of studio space and, best of all, the city provides film and TV tax credits.

So, with all those advantages, what movies have been made in Toronto?Here are a few:
The Shape of Water, a sci-fi romance filmed in 2017, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The setting is supposed to be Anywhere, but University of Toronto buildings, the Elgin Theatre ,the facade of Massey Hall, and other streets were used to film this movie.

Good Will Hunting, a 1997 film about a mathematical genius, also used U of T buildings but substituted them for Harvard and MIT. This movie won an award for best screen play.

Chicago, filed in Toronto in 2002, also won the Best Picture award. It was the story of Chicago in the 1920’s and many Chicagoans were outraged that Casa Loma, Queen’s Park, the Distillery District, all stood in for real Chicago buildings.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, filmed in 2002, used the Danforth’s Greek Town of course. St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church was chosen for the wedding.

Suicide Squad, filmed in Toronto in 2016, was the top-grossing box office hit that year and made over $784 million. This movie featured a plane crash on Yonge St and a helicopter crash on Bay St. Aha! there’s a reason for all those potholes!

And there are several other movies that have been filmed here. One to watch for next year is called Turning Red. You may have seen the trailers. It’s an animated movie about a teen-age girl who turns into a big red furry panda whenever she gets upset. This movie really is meant to take place in Toronto. You can see the streetcars on King, the eclectic stores in Kensington Market, and the CN Tower often in the background. No missing the location of this one. The director calls it a “love letter to Toronto.”

So, even if you are not a fan of the Oscars, you might want to follow this movie as it casts Toronto into the movie spotlight once more.

Sue

Spring is actually here – date-wise, that is. And Mother Nature is sending little signals too. Have you noticed that it is still light out at 7:00 pm?

Spring is Peter’s favourite time of the year. In early March he started looking lovingly out the window at his vegetable garden. Sadly, it was covered in those piles of dirty snow left over from that big dump we had in January. Not to be deterred, he found some garlic heads left over from last year’s harvest, and planted them in an out-of-the-way corner of the living room. Since he didn’t have any way of separating the seeds in the old plastic containers, he cleverly found some old playing cards and used them to divide up the space. For several days he watched over them, like any proud parent, as they slowly stuck their hopeful little tips out of the soil.

Next, Peter turned his attention to the front porch where he had carefully placed Christmas decorations in our 2 large pots, creating lovely Christmas arrangements. By March the arrangements were looking a little out of place, but they were frozen solid. Finally this past weekend a few tugs worked, and Christmas is now gone until next year.

Then Peter made up his shopping list and headed for a garden centre where he spent a wheelbarrow full of money on seeds and fertilizers. He even scored some elusive curly kale seeds. (Last year we had to settle for Russian kale, not a wise political choice this year). Then he unearthed his old gardening clothes and went outside to do some fertilizing. Today he is looking for another project – maybe he’ll find my hair dryer so he can thaw some frozen ground.

And for me? My job is to oversee the flower gardens. Two years ago I planted some exotic tulips, orange with yellow centres and a fancy name like “Emperor.” And they were very regal – until the squirrels ate them. Last year I found a great spray called Super Hunter that did the trick. So, in the fall, I ordered some more bulbs and planted them with some bone meal and a generous handful of hope. Now every day I go outside with my magnifying glass to check for signs of life.

Meanwhile I’ve been reading some garden literature. Did you know that there are people called “plant influencers”? You can find them on tic toc or You-tube, or Instagram. One gardening site on You-tube has over 40,000 followers. The influencers tell you what plants are trending; what plants you absolutely need in your garden to stay current. Houseplants are especially popular right now.

It seems that gardening has become a hobby for the very rich. One plant that was mentioned, “Thai constellation monstera,” sells for $800 for a 6-inch beauty. These plants are often hard to find, lasting only a few hours on social media. Once you get your hands on one, then you need equipment such as humidifiers, grow-light systems, and special fertilizers. Imagine how you would feel after having spent all that money on your special flower, only to have it wither…and die!

As for Peter and me, we are mostly sticking to tried and true. Think tomatoes, squash, geraniums and of course garlic. As soon as the ground thaws completely, we’ll be digging in.

Sue

I could not go another week without devoting a post to the brave but desperate people of Ukraine.

Toronto is among the most multicultural cities of the world. Immigrants and refugees are welcomed here by the first monument they see: the Monument To Multiculturalism just outside Union Station. This memorial, designed in 1985 by Francesco Perilli, was intended to show man and doves crossing through and connecting the 4 meridians, creating a world of peace and respect.

Canada is a country built on the labour and loyalty of immigrants. Think of all the Chinese labourers who worked tirelessly in the 1800’s to build our trans-continental railway. A monument on Blue Jays Way is dedicated to those workers and the hardships they suffered as they worked to open up our country from sea to sea.

Think of the Irish peasants who, suffering from the potato famine in 1847, came here for a better life. The monument dedicated to them is built on the waterfront near Billy Bishop airport. The sculptor, Rowan Gillespie, has depicted faces torn by hunger and sadness. Once settled, the Irish immigrants had an advantage over other ethnic groups because they spoke English. They tended to settle and get jobs in the cities and towns where they landed.

Italian workers came too, many of them after the war ended in 1945, when construction jobs were plentiful. They often arrived courtesy of the family class immigration rules – where family members were invited to join their relatives who had already established themselves in Canada and had found steady employment. A touching monument to these Italians can be found on St. Clair Ave in the area where many Italians first settled. The inscription reads: “famigilia, lavoro, communita.” Family, work and community are part of the Italian tradition.

How do the Ukrainian people fit into this history? Ukrainians have been settling in Canada for a couple of centuries. Who has not passed by a Ukrainian Catholic church, or eaten perogies, or admired the intricate painting on those delicate Easter eggs? Who does not recognize the names of famous Ukrainian-Canadians such as politician Ray Hnatyshyn, astronaut Roberta Bondar, or hockey legend Wayne Gretzky?

Canada has the third largest Ukrainian population, after Russia and Ukraine. According to the 2016 census, there are about 1,400,400 Ukrainians living in Canada, many of them in the western provinces, and the rest in Toronto and Montreal. The first recorded Ukrainians arrived here in 1892 where several families moved to Edmonton and began farming. During world War I, a dark chapter in our history, Ukrainians were sent to work camps for the duration of the war. When they were released, they found good-paying jobs and built worthwhile lives, despite their ill treatment.

Already there is a park in Toronto dedicated to Ukrainian immigrants. An obelisk, erected in 1998, sits on a patch of land running along Scarlett Road north of Eglinton. We are ready to welcome more Ukrainian immigrants. We have the support systems: reception centres, ESL programs, welcome wagons. We even have the park!

Another inspiring monument to immigration sits at the foot of Yonge St. Sculptor Tom Otterness created this loving family vignette in 2007: dad holds 2 suitcases and stares loving at his wife, who cradles their tiny baby. Their faces are full of hope. Let’s give this same opportunity to those Ukrainian families headed our way.

Sue

You didn’t realize this was a porn site, did you? Me neither. I originally heard about massages from a divorced friend. She said she went once a week for treatment. I just figured she was missing her ex-husband. Then I got a little more experience.

My first personal encounter was with a chair – a massage chair in a shopping mall. A clerk was giving a demonstration so I figured why not?I sat down gingerly and the chair began to rumble. I searched frantically for handles so I could hang on. Then I began to feel the pulsations up my spine and around my neck. It was heavenly. When the clerk tried to get me out of the chair, I pretended not to notice. When he tried to sell me the chair, I got the message and left.

Then I went for a pedicure and there was the chair again! I eagerly climbed on. The associate turned on the chair and dialed up an appropriate setting. It was great while she worked on my toe nails. Then she started massaging my feet. Even better! She kneaded toes, soles and heels. Then she moved up my legs and stated working on my calves too.

Soon after that I went to a new hairdresser and discovered a new treat – a scalp massage! First the washing, then the conditioner, then the massage. I could feel my brain waking up and asking “Where have you been all my life?” When I got home and told Peter about my experience, he looked a little nervous. He seemed somewhat relieved when I told him that all these masseuses were female.

Around Christmas I was feeling some neck pain, particularly after long walks. So I went to my family doctor who prodded, and poked, and prescribed – guess what? Massage! I called a local wellness clinic and was assigned a therapist – named Charley. I met Charley and we hit it off. Charley is an immigrant from China who had lived in Shangzhou, a city Peter and I had visited while on a trip to China about 10 years ago. I showed Charley some pictures of our trip and he opened up about his life in China. He had been an orthopedic surgeon and now here he was in Canada pounding on people’s backs. How lucky I was to have such expertise working on me.

Charley had me stand up straight while he did a 360 walk around my ancient bones. He pronounced his verdict: my neck was seriously “deformed” from years of slouching. I asked him if there was some way to turn back the clock. Maybe he had a time machine in the closet? Out loud I wondered why my parents didn’t tell me to stand up straighter? I could almost hear them looking down from above: “We Did tell you but you were too busy slouching around to hear us.”

Then the treatment began. First Charley worked on my back and spine. Then, after what seemed like mere seconds, he had me turn over and slide up so he could work on my neck. The kneading and rubbing continued. Time flew by and then it was over. Charley asked me if I wanted to come for another appointment. “Is the Pope Catholic?” I asked.

When I got home, Peter wanted a full report. Now he seemed really nervous! I explained to him why I desperately need this treatment. And it is making a difference. After several appointments, my neck is only partially deformed. Charley is turning back the clock on my old body!

And Peter is glad to know I still need him – in a different way.

Sue

PS No pictures since this is not Really a porn site. Hope you aren’t too disappointed.

Well February was a month we are all glad to see in our rearview mirrors. Covid is hanging around far longer than we expected. Its mandates of masking and vaccines have caused far more disruption than we imagined. Just ask the residents of Ottawa about how they liked having their freedom taken away by “freedom fighters.” Climate change continued to surprise us with more extreme cold and more snow to shovel. And then Putin decided to shake up what little peace we had in the world by attacking the poor citizens of Ukraine. Things could hardly get worse.

But there was more sadness ahead for me and Peter. Many readers know that my birthday was last Tuesday (and the family had celebrated the week before in Niagara Falls). It was a biggie. As a matter of fact I am now halfway through my time in Seventy In the City. In only 5 more years I will have to retire. Either that or change the title. But who would want to read a blog called Eighty In the City? Would there even be time in our lives for any adventures after visits to doctors, medical labs and hospitals?

Anyway on Tuesday when I woke up, I was greeted with cards, phone calls and facebook birthday messages. Things were looking good. Then I went to say good morning to our 2 resident mice, Agnes’s pets, Missy and Sissy. Sissy was all cheerful and wished me Happy Birthday right away. But dear Missy was not looking well. She was hiding in her little hutch and shivering. Oh oh… She was well into her life span of 2 years: a “junior senior,” you might say. I bent down and spoke in her ear: “Missy, do not die on my birthday!!”

Well she paid attention. She lived for 2 more days. But on Thursday morning she had had enough. She lay down quietly and closed her eyes. “Good bye Missy,” I whispered. Peter and I made plans to keep her in a box in the shed until the spring thaw would allow us to bury her with dignity. Then I sent an email message to Agnes in New Zealand.

Agnes shed many tears, as you can imagine. She finally facetimed us to share stories. Her 2 concerns were: first of all, that we keep Sissy happy despite being alone. And second, that we keep Missy’s body safe so that Agnes can bury Missy herself when she returns to Canada in the summer.

So, following orders, I have been visiting Sissy often, asking her how she is doing. She seems OK – content in the cage that she knows well after living there for 18 months. She still loves her Christmas gift tubes that traverse the cage. And she has been using little bits of brown paper to insulate the hutch so it will be warm in the absence of her room-mate.

That leaves us with the other dilemma: where to keep a mouse body in the warm weather until the burial? Dear readers, if you have any freezer space you are not using, could you rent out a corner? Just a tiny corner would do.

In the meantime, our thoughts shift back to the people of Ukraine. Let’s all hope that March is a better month.

Sue

Thank you dear readers for being so generous with your travel suggestions. We thought long and hard about where to go for a family weekend adventure that was not too far to travel, not too germy, and yet not too boring. Where in Canada could we go?

On Saturday morning we packed one suitcase with pyjamas, long underwear, scarves and mitts, and hats. We loaded everything into the car and headed west, south, and then east. In an hour and a half we were there. We joined 2 other families: 2 of our sons, their wives, 2 dogs, and one grandchild, Gavin. We also took along a newcomer who had just arrived in Canada from the Philippines last week.

So where did we go? You may have guessed already. Canada has many beautiful places to visit: the Rockies, the Maritimes, the North. But one place that is close and yet among the most magnificent scenery in the world is in our own back yard – Niagara Falls. By late afternoon we had all arrived and settled into the only doggie hotel in the entire town – the Old Stone Inn.

After unpacking, we met in one of the rooms for some wine and planning. Having 2 dogs with us meant extra challenges, such as restaurants. The first night we found a local Japanese place that did takeout, and we ate on the beds in one of the rooms, being careful not to get noodles or soy sauce on the sheets. When dinner was finished, we looked at each other and said: “It’s time!”

Time to visit The Falls. Just a short walk from our hotel, and down a steep hill, and there they were – stunning, powerful and lit up in gorgeous colours. Despite having grown up in the Niagara area, I still find The Falls mesmerizing. And so did everyone else. The newcomer was in awe. Even the dogs were intrigued. They kept climbing up on the wall and staring over the edge, while their owners held tigthly onto their leashes . Despite the biting winds, we could barely tear ourselves away. But eventually we walked back up the hill to our hotel.

The next day we woke up early so we could get going on the day’s adventures. The first item on our list was the Sky Wheel. It is not unlike the great London Eye, with enclosed cars which keep out the wind while providing magnificent views of The Falls from above. Then we walked back towards The Falls for a different, daytime, view.

This time we walked all the way to the power plant and the greenhouse. Unfortunately the greenhouse was closed due to Covid, and the show at the power plant looked a little too technical for Gavin and the dogs, so we took a pass and walked back to the hotel, for a total of 20,000 steps. All this beauty and exercise too!

On our last morning, after breakfast together, we decided to travel in tandem to another important spot, (in Canadian history), Brock’s Monument. The monument was closed so we didn’t have to climb the 280 steps to the top, but we did admire the view of the Niagara River from this vantage point. It’s hard to imagine how The Falls have retreated 7 miles over the last 12,000 years, from the edge of Lake Ontario to where they are today, in the middle of the Niagara River. In just 22,000 more years, The Falls will have continued their backwards journey and disappeared into Lake Erie.

As we climbed into our cars to finish the homeward journey, one couple said they were going to take a detour – back to The Falls for another look. Who could blame them? As for you, dear readers, you have only 22,000 more years to visit. Don’t miss out!

Sue

When our son Daniel and his family moved to The Beach, we noticed that they lived not too far away from a stunning building. They told us it was the “Palace Of Purification.” We were intrigued.

After some clandestine trespassing and a little googling, we discovered that it was the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. And it does almost look like royalty could live there. The idea for a water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Ontario was floated around beginning in 1926 but it took architects and builders 15 years to work out the details, and the plant wasn’t finished until 1941. It still produces over 30% of Toronto’s drinking water.

We studied the architecture further and discovered a new (to us) architectural style – art deco. Art deco was meant to be a symbol of hope following World War I. The style is sleek with interesting rectangular forms. It is anything but minimalist, as the forms are broken up with curved ornamental elements, sometimes fanciful, sometimes representing the purpose of the building. Some art deco structures you might be familiar with are the Chrysler Building in New York, or the Supreme Court Building in Ottawa. The first impression is very streamlined and modern but, if you look closely, you will find touches of whimsy.

There are other art deco buildings in downtown Toronto so, on a recent Lucy Cleaning Day, we went to see them. Our first stop was at College and Yonge, where we found the Toronto Hydro Building. One of its ornamental elements is a coat of arms with the words “industry, intelligence and integrity,” the motto for the original City Of Toronto, in 1834. There are also unusual details along the roofline, including faces staring down accusingly at the pedestrians below, reminding us to “Turn Off Those Lights!”

Farther down Yonge St we discovered an old (Toronto) Dominion Bank, built in 1930 and now converted to a restaurant. The details on the outside describe the past through carvings of agriculture, industry, shipping and even Queen Victoria. On Bay St, we found the Canada Permanent Building, one of the original “skyscrapers” at a remarkable 18 storeys high! The Canada Permanent , 1931, has a magnificent arched entranceway and elaborate brass detailing inside.

The most unique building we found is on Adelaide St – the Concourse Building, 1928. Described as a canvas for elegant details, it gets its reputation from Group OF Seven artist J. E. H. MacDonald, whose mosaics decorate the front entrance and surrounding archway. Aboriginal-inspired decorations line the edge of the roof. We had to be creative in order to find a photo spot to capture this elegant roof-top design.

The Concourse Building is on such prime property that in 2017 most of the building was torn down, leaving only 2 facades now tucked into the bottom corner of a modern 40-storey glass and steel tower. While we were delighted to see that the facade had been saved, we lamented the abundance of glass and steel buildings monopolizing the downtown core. There is a sameness to them that is cold and inhuman. Bring on more art deco!

Sue

PS. Thanks to everyone who wrote in last week with suggestions for safe, covid-free travel. We heard from someone who has been enjoying winter in Hawaii, a couple who flew to Germany but paid more for business class, just to have the extra space away from germs, and another family who are waiting for summer so they can safely visit their cottage. And we heard from 2 people who suggested a visit to the west coast. Next Tuesday you can read about where we decided to go.

I bet Shakespeare had no idea he had penned a quote for us to use during this pandemic. But it sure comes in handy when you are planning anything these days. Just ask restaurant owners. “Will you be opening up to full indoor capacity any time soon?” Ask the school kids. “Will your school be closing any time soon?” And ask the travel agents around the world. “Will it be safe to travel any time soon?”

Peter and I are avid travelers. We have climbed Mount Fiji, walked along the Great Wall of China, sailed down the Amazon, visited every continent except Antarctica. Our last trip was to the Galapagos Islands back in November 2019. You can imagine that we, like so many others, have itchy feet these days.

When things appeared to be looking up last November, we booked a trip to Portugal. It was with a hiking company, the same small business owners who took us to the Galapagos. (I wrote about that trip in a post on November 26, 2019). We had originally booked the Portugal trip before the pandemic and we were scheduled to go on March 14, 2020. Well guess what happened the day before – March 13, 2020? Lockdown!

This past November things seemed to be looking good so we signed up for Portugal again – for March 2022. There were lots of considerations, mostly having to do with insurance. But we started to get excited about having a break from snow, and a chance to explore a new (for us) country. Portugal is a winter destination for many Canadians because of the warm weather and the relatively inexpensive lifestyle. We thought it might be an alternative to Florida in the coming years, especially if You Know Who gets elected again.

Then Omicron hit the scene. We watched in shock as the infection numbers started going up and businesses started closing down. Portugal became one of the hot spots in Europe. Our final payment deadline for the trip approached – January 10. What to do?

Then the hiking company sent a timely message – our final payment deadline had been moved to – TODAY! February 8. Relief…. except…we still had the same questions, only delayed a few weeks. Would the flight be cancelled before the trip, due to staff shortages? If it went, how would we manage to breathe for 7-plus hours in our N95 masks? If we got sick in Portugal, (not a simple question at our age), would there be room in the hospitals for us?

Although our trip would focus on an outdoor activity, hiking, what about restaurants? Would we have to do take-out in our hotel rooms? On our days off, would tourist attractions be open or would we just have to wander around by ourselves? And, most important, would there be Shopping??? We spent a lot of time pacing and worrying. To be in Portugal or not to be, that was the question.

A few days ago we opened our email and there it was – a message from the hiking company: IMPORTANT UPDATE! We held our breath: The Portugal trip had been cancelled. A huge wave of relief swept over us. We weren’t going, and somebody else had decided for us. The perfect ending.

Except… Now we are trip-less! If you know of any safe Canadian place to go without too much risk, please send a comment. Quick.

Sue

PS Sorry there are no images of Portugal to share with you.