Something to look forward to

My dad, who lives in Vancouver, BC with his wife, will be visiting in a couple of weeks. Originally he had intended to visit in September, after returning home from his month-long trip to Quebec City, Chicoutimi and Gaspe, but he and his partner have been able to alter their plans (well, his plans) so that he'll come and spend a week or so with me, then join her with her family afterward.

So they leave Vancouver on August 8th and will be in Quebec City on the 9th. They'll spend a few days there, then Dad will come here on the 12th and Helene will go to Chicoutimi via bus.

It makes sense to combine trips and certainly saves the cost of another trip east (airfare plus car rental). And on his way back to meet up with his wife and her family, he'll stop in Montreal and visit his nephew and family (my uncle Peter's son).

I'm looking forward to seeing Dad, as it's a once-a-year visit, and actually am delighted he's coming in August for a change, when tourist season still is in high gear. Usually he comes at the latter part of September, when most attractions have closed until May. He's been here enough that he knows the area pretty well, but there's always more going on during the summer, just the same. I don't have a lot of remaining vacation time, but I'll be able to take 3 or 4 days anyway, which will make a nice break.

So definitely something to look forward to!

As for the other side of the family, the maternal side, I talked with Mom yesterday. She's meeting with a social worker next week, finding out exactly what things like "rehab" and "respite" mean, getting more information. Apparently the only reason Harry hasn't already been moved to the rehab centre is that they are waiting for a bed. He's not been up and walking, though--not more than a few feet. Other than that, all remains the same on that front.

I understand perfectly her wish that he either would recover completely or die, rather than "live" without quality, waiting till the body finally gives up and ceases functioning. I used to visit an elderly woman as a volunteer "friendly visitor" via our senior's association (a number of years ago now, about 6 or 7, I think). A room became available for her in a nursing home shortly after I started going to her house (her husband was alive and they shared the home, managed okay with some in-home cleaning and cooking assistance). Once Muriel got into that nursing home, that was it. Nine months later she was dead, and without a reason to live, her husband, Patrick, passed about 11 months after that. I dreaded going in there every week; it was such a depressing place, full of suffering and despair and hopelessness. I don't wish that for Harry...I don't wish that for anyone. (Okay, I do wish worse for evil people who abuse animals, women, children, etc, but that's something different.)

Anyway.

On a more upbeat note, I did take a brief jaunt to Rotary Park/Lemoine Point this morning. I really didn't want to go because I was so tired, so I just walked along the water trail through Rotary Park and a short distance into the conservation area proper, before heading back out. It would be okay if I had a vehicle and could drive in, park and hike around, then drive home. But the walk out of the area to the bus stop is at least 1.5 km as it is, takes close to 20 minutes.

But I did take a few pics, really only macro wildflowers and ducks. Still, it was good "therapy."  :-)

The early-morning light was such that the birds look like they're silhouetted.

 Reflections of the leaves.

 Silhouette-like lighting again.

I don't know what these are, but I snap pics of them every year, the colour seems to draw me.

 Can you see the woodpecker? He's well-camouflaged on the bark!

Lots of ducks around this morning at this particular spot, quite tame, as I was close. They probably expected bread, but I didn't have any with me.