I'M BACK!

I hope you have all had a great summer!  Mine was quite different this year, spending it in Orleans, a suburb of Ottawa, living in the updated downstairs apartment in Dee's house with access to the whole house and the amazing backyard deck and pool - where I spent a lot of my days when the weather permitted.  Summer was much more laid back and lazy than I'm used to being but I luxuriated in the need to do nothing much.  

I have  thoroughly enjoyed the quality time I've been able to spend with Dee after 36+ years of seeing her only a few times a year.  We get along well, have similar tastes about many things, which helps when you are together almost daily.   Not having a car, the suburbs could be a poor choice for six months, however, Dee has been so accommodating - taking me to doctor's appointments, shopping, the occasional dinner or lunch, day trips, airports and train stations for my occasional trips elsewhere and for any request I've made of her for transportation.  During the four months I've been here so far I haven't needed to call Uber. And Dee's friend, Tony, has covered for her when she hasn't been available - thanks, Tony!  

I intended to restart writing this blog after the August 1st long weekend visit to my granddaughter, Amanda, and her family in Colorado.  That visit didn't happen because of a pre-evacuation notice they received due to forest fires almost in their backyard.  They hustled off to Aspen to wait till the all-clear to return home when, thankfully, they found no damage!  My visit was rebooked to this past weekend - the last long weekend of the summer.

Not having been to Colorado before, I didn't know what to expect.  However, knowing Denver was not a huge city, I anticipated the airport to be an average size.  Wow!  Turns out it is the largest airport in the U.S., and on track to becoming one of the largest in the world!  Who knew? Not me!   

Fortunately I always book wheelchair assistance  at airports so I am pushed to where I need to go. Without that service, I wouldn't have had a clue which way to turn or that I had to take a train in the Denver airport to get to arrivals.  I was relieved to see Brent's smiling face waiting there for me.

The Crawfords' home and location is awesome.  They are on a large lot at the end of a crescent. The view from their house is breathtaking.  Mountains, grassy fields and hills alive with wildlife, especially deer. Amanda told me the deer are as numerous in their area as squirrels are in Ontario.   

I was squired around for three days - thoroughly enjoying everything they showed me and making new memories.  

The first morning we went to Red Rocks, which turned out to be the highlight of the trip.  I marvelled at the unique angle of the billion+years' old red rock formations that sit at an angle to the earth beneath them.  The naturally formed amphitheatre is breathtaking and, I'm told, the sound is wonderful.  The Red Rock Museum lists every artist that performed there by year for over 125 years and what an impressive list it is!

The rest of my stay was filled with new sights every day, different restaurants for brunch and walks, followed by hot afternoon hours reading by the pool or lost in conversation. Even breakfast and a movie theatre one morning.  Each day began with the two boys, 7 and 4, climbing into my bed at 7 a.m.  and the two dogs jumping in too.  I loved it!

This was the first time we've seen each other since their move two years ago.   I'm grateful I was able to make it this time.  I know that I will not be back - the travel is becoming too much, and the altitude affected me poorly. 

There were a couple of glitches in my flights that caused me some apprehension.   The major one was being informed a few hours before flight time from Ottawa that there was a delay to Toronto due to "mechanical problems". From reports from others, this can often turn into further delays or even not going at all which could result in missing my connection to Denver.  

By being in the Ottawa airport very early, I was able to switch to an earlier flight.  It was rushed, but I made it.   The morning of my return when I opened my iPhone I saw an e-mail from the airline.  My stomach was churning as I opened it but this time it was just advising that my plane had been changed to different aircraft that had no wifi.   At least it was going at the original time, so the tummy butterflies calmed.  

However, these experiences reinforced the unsettling truth that these days confirmed flights cannot be counted on to happen as planned.  

At 90 years of age, the complexity of airports and travelling alone has resulted in a nervousness about travelling that I had never before felt - especially if going to an unfamiliar area. Even the wheelchair service I book has had its problems on a couple of occasions.  Flying doesn't bother me but airports do!   

I feel somewhat embarrassed having to admit this to anyone but I now question why cause myself anxiety about a new travel experience when I don't have to.  Two months ago  I  booked a 24 night transatlantic cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, next April, ending in Southampton, England after visiting eleven ports.  I would then have to take a train to Heathrow Airport to fly back to Canada while handling two suitcases I really can't manage on my own anymore - I don't have the strength or stability. Was I crazy to think this was going to be fun? The ship probably would be but the getting to it and the return home wouldn't be. I decided to cancel and remain in my Mexican paradise that month.  I feel relieved already.  

I intend to remain a nomad for the foreseeable future.  I still love the feeling of freedom and lack of responsibilities but other than flying to Mexico every six months, that I'm very comfortable with, I'm going to travel by train whenever I can - it's a delightfully relaxing way to go.

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