Sunday at Bird's Hill Park

Sunday’s agenda included most of the day at Bird’s Hill Park, about half an hour’s drive out of Winnipeg, where there is a large man-made lake and lots of grass and trees, so there is both swimming in fairly clean water, and lots of picnic spaces.

I can’t recall when I’ve ever seen such swarms of people, on the beaches of a placid lake as far as my eye could see from left to right. (Ach, and so much ‘hardly-covered’ flesh!)

[at Bird's Hill Park people kept passing our picnic spot! A Constant parade!]

Dori grew up going to this park so she knew the best picnic spots would be claimed early. We made a stop to pick up extra food, yet we were able to get two picnic tables under the first cluster of tall shade trees. Beth & Corey followed later with their family. Dori’s family came too, but they arrived after we’d had lunch. It had not been cleared away yet, though, so they got enough to call it a meal.

[the swarming beach to the south (behind us)]

Our cousin June (Janzen) Wilson, from Saskatoon, was on a work assignment (as a professional photographer) in Manitoba for the week. She called on Sat. evening, and Ernie invited her to join us at the park on Sunday. I’d forgotten about the usefulness of the ever-present cell-phones. I over-heard Ernie talking to her from his phone and giving her instructions on how to find us at our picnic spot. We were looking towards the first beach to the south of us, and urging her to head to the green flag on a tall pole. We could not see her.

[the constant flow of people to/from the beach and back to parking lot].

When she reported that she was near a green life-guard stand, we realized we were looking the wrong direction. There was another beach (to my eye, there were three - all connected) the other way, which had a life-guard stand. I had on a red wide-brim hat. I told Ernie to tell her that I was coming to meet her on the paved path that had been so full of pedestrian traffic all day already; and she would know me by my red hat. Sure enough! It wasn’t long until we were running into each other’s arms. (She had taken a different turn after the gate, and ended up at a bigger and higher-ground parking lot).

[our circle visiting - after June joined us]

Dori and Ernie had organized/reserved a nice restaurant to take us all out for supper that evening, but it meant we had to go back to the house to dress up – at least somewhat. So by about 3:30/4pm she was urging us to pack up and head back to get ready for the supper reservation.

(But first we took June to the parking lot where she had parked, and dropped her off at her vehicle. She declined the supper invitation, as she had got an alert of a thunderstorm on her phone, and she had to drive back to Portage la Prairie.)

My Sunday morning headache had cleared up at last, but it helped me to be more cautious with supper, so I asked for a box to take home (to Ernie/Dori’s place) what I left on my plate. I was able to make most of that my lunch on Monday.

Again, we had the delicious Trifle dessert back at the house instead of ordering dessert at the restaurant that Sunday evening.

Monday morning we had breakfast with Beth & Corey and their kids, and finally saw them off as they headed back home. (They were going to stop in Saskatoon for the night, so I invited them to stop by my place the next morning for a free aloe vera plant. But they didn’t come, so they must have hurried home.)

My main observation was that Beth & Corey are both highly intelligent people, and their kids have inherited heavy doses of their smart-genes! Micah is planning to study the techie side of audio/visual things.

Aiden (15) had his head down most of the time watching complicated science tutorials on his device. Zach (12) was more talkative. He said he loved to explain complicated science/math problems to more ordinary individuals. He can do really odd math problems in split seconds!

Ehlana was constantly on the move, chattering and explaining things too. She was very proud of her fake wolf ears, calling herself a wolf-child. (Tho’ Beth managed to snatch that headband off her head just before she was in a photo). She has a vivid imagination, and enjoyed playing with Katje (Dori’s youngest granddaughter - they were new friends for each other); her constant motion and chatter made me think of the Energizer Bunny. Perhaps she will be a stage personality one day?

However, on Monday morning, Ehlana had no interest in breakfast. She came in when made to, but flopped on the couch and lay quite still and silent. I went over to her and said, “What? Did someone take your batteries out of you?” She remained silent. (I guess even energizer bunnies need to lie low until they get charged up).

I think I better skip the tour of Ernie & Dori’s yard, etc., though you might find Ernie’s Christmas cactii interesting. I have several at my place, but they all bear hot cherise pink blossoms – usually in November and February, and they only have green leaves. Ernie has three varieties, with different coloured leaves. One kind is dripping with white flowers year-round! Another has yellow-orange flowers (none at this time), and another one has pink flowers like mine, but yellow-green leaves. I could not resist begging nicely for some slips.

I can hardly wait to see these varieties multiplying at my place!

I treasure my memories of this lovely holiday weekend, tho’ I still feel badly that Elsie and Erma couldn’t come.

Oh. About my flight home. Not cancelled but again delayed considerably. However, this time there were 3 young children on the flight. Right in front of me were a couple/grandparents with their little grandson - maybe age 2. They entertained him with kids' videos on their tablet and discussed what they saw through the window. They had a finger game they played with him, so he was well-entertained.

But - a few rows ahead was a couple with a girl of about 3 who had a major melt-down. In the last 20-30 minutes of our flight she was screeching, "I WANT MY MOMMY!" at the top of her lungs. We passengers and the steward and stewardess all froze. Not sure how to react.

I could watch the man beside her and told myself that he might not be her real Daddy, for she didin't want him touching her, and he just stared away, as if totally embarrassed. The mother was sitting across the narrow aisle feeding a baby under a year old. She tried to talk to her daughter across the aisle, but the girl's mind seemed to have snapped. (I wondered if maybe her ears were popping as mine were?) Then, while I was looking away, the mother changed places with the man and he held the baby boy, while the mother tried to quietly reason with the girl. The screeching finally let up. But everyone on the plane was still on edge.

I took a cab home, and the driver told me that the day before, Sunday, it had been 37 Celsius in Saskatoon. Whew!

When I stepped into my little wee house a heat-wave hit me. Of course I had turned off the A/C in the kitchen window and the other fans that usually keep the house comfortable. I Iooked at the temperature and it was 29 Celsius in the house. Outside it was 27C. Of course, I got busy getting the A/C on, the fans turning and the one window open for the night to let cooler air in. Then, a snack kind of supper, and checking emails.

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