Whew! What a week! Almost more than my retired hind end can handle ... almost!
The week started off retirement-ly with a couple of us-days as we readied ourselves for the looming change of moving with de-cluttering, downsizing, debating what goes + what goes out, boxing up our lives, and the occasional recreational walk or ride. There have been weeks where I was willing to take on supply work but the notifications of potential jobs were eerily silent, but as it always happens when you mentally block off a part, my phone was screaming like a Banshee with offers aplenty. I realized on a lovely ride around my adopted city that my rides there were numbered and that left me feeling a little sad.
We were eager for the dawning of Wednesday with the Sr Boys' Rugby GBSSA game scheduled at North CI that afternoon, partly because it's rugby and who doesn't love that, but mostly because my buddies Mike Alcombrack, Adam Claus, Burke Erwin, and Alex Griffin were chomping at the bit to cap off a brilliant season of development and growth with a championship. I had the RAV packed, the camera charged, and my eagerness barely in check as we pointed northeast for the commute ... again ... back to Barrie. I'm stoked to report that while most definitely a nail-biter thanks to some inspired play on behalf of dreaded rival Innisdale, my adopted Vikings pulled out a literal last second win when the scrum half hit the penalty kick with no time left on the referee's clock to win 13-12. Although in my very biased opinion, North could have had the game won multiple times thanks to a nasty case of the "dropsies", the huge crowd of rugby fans definitely got their money's worth with an Uber-exciting game! When I sat down that night to edit the photos I took, I was surprised to see I had over 700 shots to choose from, albeit a host of which were the celebratory variety as the kids strutted their stuff lofting the GBSSA plaque and SCAA banner.
Wednesday was topped of with another heart-warmer as a few of the retired old farts, myself included, met at the Queen's Hotel patio for a bevy and a chat. This is something that has been happening regularly for years prior to my own retirement, but went digital during the pandemic. While the newness of Zoom was exciting, I have to say that getting back to the face to face sharing of a "meal" is really what charges our human batteries. If you're reading this, and you're a retired Central teacher, feel free to join us to commiserate on the first Wednesday of each month.
Thursday was the first of 3 supply days with HPE + Geo for a friend at North. I had done a couple of days earlier in the semester already so I felt a small pang of familiarity with the kids, and I'm happy to pass on that the day was a pleasurable experience. Although the day started out wet, the clearing skies created a cloudless glorious afternoon for the walk down to the waterfront to my mother's condo since Joyce was working with her "adopted" little ones and had the car.
Friday's spectacular dawn, complete with a colour show that would shame a peacock, signalled that the day could be a cracker weather-wise, bringing a wide grin to my face both because I could get the kids outside to break up the monotony of a June Friday and that my Aunt Merle's Celebration of Life was scheduled for the midday. The morning's HPE class was an entertaining affair as 3 of us organized a "Fun Friday" on the field that prompted 80+ student's giggles and laughter. When the lunch bell rang, I dashed over to Union Cemetery for Merle's internment, and was supremely grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with my extended family. The celebration was gratifying because, as I wrote in this post (
CLICK), my childhood was spent in the company of my cousins and holds great significance to me. Merle was cremated meaning that we could honour her wishes of a small vial of her being put into my father's niche, per her wishes, thanks to the love she felt from his support over their lives. To have my father's niche open, with his burial urn in full view, I held a couple of sobs in check as I remembered them both fondly. With Covid almost in the rearview mirror, my cousins and I (+ our now adult children) vowed that we would arrange a time this summer to rekindle our former close ties. A win-win for me, if I'm honest.
The coup de grace for Friday was the news that North's Girls' Rugby brilliantly played the David role by slaying the Goliath that was the previously unbeaten Nantry side to win the GBSSA title 7-5 and making it a two-fer for the Vikings. Although working prevented me from capturing the moments with my Nikon because the game was an early start down in Alcona, I was none the less stoked to receive the text sharing the great news!
Saturday's early rising was thanks to my plans to share the BT~175km with a bunch of like-minded acquaintances as we peddled our way around the Simcoe Country Rail Trail, a 160km route that circumvents the northern portions of Simcoe using the old CPR lines. Much of the trail is crushed gravel, but there are portions in the northern-most part that are paved, and others that are packed earth resulting in the occasional mud bath as spray from the tires spares no one. The BT part stands for Butter Tart, a Kryptonite of many a cyclist, with one of our waypoints that day being the annual Midland Butter Tart festival. One of the group lives in Perkensfield and his adorable wife met us at Farm2Door, a quaint little shop and Butter Tart stop, with water-refills and watermelon, the perfect companion to the megalodonic tarts offered there.
Even though I consider myself as more than a casual cyclist, riding "the Loop" is a daunting task that proves a challenge each time I attempt it. My kilomterage of late buoyed my abilities and I felt pretty capable throughout, so much so that I chose to top off the 160km with a ride to Angus to meet Joyce who had spent the day with our daughter. Since my Garmin's battery died near the DeCast plant on the 30th sideroad, the total kilometres were a guess, but I'm confident that ~175 is close. The afternoon's rain showers meant that I had brought some of the trail out to Maddi's with me, her garden hose handling the muck admirably.
The pink tees proudly displayed here ... although I do much better behind the camera since you can barely see me holding my trusty steed aloft in the background ... are thanks to the fundraising prowess of Cycle Simcoe and available to anyone who requests one after completing the Rail Trail.
As I sit in front of my laptop on a wet Sunday morning, recounting the week's events and planning for the coming week's excitement as we take possession of our new-to-us condo on Wednesday, I have to admit that despite the jammed calendar, this past week was filled with smile-worthy moments that left my heart full of happiness and joy.
As the Tragically Hip once crooned, "wait and see what tomorrow brings!"
No comments:
Post a Comment