When I wrote late last week that the antibiotic worked, I was wrong about that. Wishful thinking on my part, which is par for the course for this gal. Prior to Monday evening though, we were going about our business, which included another trip to Richmond on Saturday.
Not only did we need to make a monthly Wal Mart run, but we needed to pick up the sofa cushions. The day we moved in the young woman who is our condo liaison, if you will, told us the previous tenant left the cushions in deplorable shape, and she was having them cleaned. Great. Unfortunately the cleaning process did not do the trick, so she said she would have some new ones made. Except she didn't. Finally, Bruce took it into his own hands, and made it happen, thus our visit to Bari Design.
Even if we didn't have a need I would still love going there, well, for obvious reasons. I love sewing! Plus, manufacturing in any form. I've been that way since I was a very young woman. Before I got involved with other sewists, I'd never head of the Japanese sewing machine brand Juki, however, turns out, it is quite popular with both professionals, and home users. This $4,000 Juki is but days old.
I was so fascinated to see that the piping is made and sewn at the same time, a practice I'd never heard of. Meanwhile, there is another person who uses a saw to shape the cushions out of super thick foam.
I believe these are the bar stools for the remodel Bruce is doing in the Seattle area.
There was no way to match the fabric, as the sofa came from Europe some time ago, so I picked fabric from what he had out of this bunch that I thought might coordinate. BTW--they made the pictured chairs as well.
Although the cushions and the sofa body are different colors and fabrics, it doesn't look too bad.
It helps that the throw pillows, previously in the bedroom, match nicely and hopefully pull it all together.
On the way home Bruce wanted to go to the car wash, allowing me to see a part of the city a little out of my walking range. Finally in Chinatown I saw produce bins on the street, something you see like crazy in London, but until this sighting, I thought was nonexistent here.
For weeks, at church, the pastor kept announcing something called a Walk for Reconciliation. As it turns out, not unlike most places, Canada has a bit of a messy past with the native people, removing children from their parents and placing them into state-supported, mostly church-run,
Residential Schools. As you can imagine, all sorts of terrible abuse occurred, both physically and mentally. The service was moved up from 10:30 to 8:30 allowing those who wanted to, join the walk.
Further, Edgar Harry-Xiquelum, an ordained minister from the Indian Shaker Church, led the opening prayers with song and drum.
Here's a little something more about him, should you be interested.
Following the service, the trek began to ground zero for the walk, with about fifty people from the church, including yours truly and her main squeeze, joining the crowd at Queen Elizabeth Plaza.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?
There were
thousands and thousands of people, basically as far as the eye could see, walking towards Strathcona Park for speakers, music, crafts, and food. According to the linked article, the crowd stretched 1 KM.
Walking along Prior Street, there is a different look to the city than I'd seen previously.
Apparently, all of Vancouver is not beautiful.
Of all things, taking a break from writing, eating my breakfast of peanut butter toast with a side of the iPad, I
came across this article about Vancouver in today's edition of the Guardian. It makes one wonder how much longer this area of Vancouver will look like the above. Perhaps you recall a photo from a while back where there is a crummy gas station below the super impressive Vancouver House construction site. I learned from the concierge that the owner wanted something like $30 million for that piece of land. Apparently the developers are hoping he will cave in for less, going ahead with the "super prime" real estate project. Not my words,
theirs.
There were people both young and old at the walk. Now, speaking of walking, I am accustomed to it by now, however, Bruce hasn't had the same opportunity to do the same, making the return journey not nearly as comfortable. As we are both unfamiliar with this part of town, we just began walking in the general direction, coming upon Main Street, and yet another one of those single room occupancy hotels.
I've read that pizza place, in spite of being a hole in the wall, is excellent. By now, I needed to pee again, Bruce's feet were hurting, mine as well, but that's nothing new, and I wanted to stop for some lunch. Bruce, on the other hand, wanted to keep moving for a bit to get us closer to home. Well, guess what? I saw a bus pull up with Granville Island as the end point and we got on! Whew, that felt good. Here's how the other half lives...
I was fine and dandy Sunday evening, and really into Monday, when I stayed home to sew. Not because I was tired, but because it was gloomy. I have to say, I am pretty proud of how the blouse turned out. This will join the three other long sleeved shirts I have. FOUR SHIRTS...what was I thinking while packing for this adventure???
The fabric, called Cute as a Bug (!), purchased at Fabricana, is just that. Actually, I did go out in the afternoon to the fabric store near Bruce's office because I needed just the right buttons to finish the blouse. It was then that I began to notice all was not right. In fact, I nearly used an underground park bathroom until I talked myself out of it because the area is so sketchy. Then I thought maybe I'd walk to his office. These are the thoughts that run through the mind of someone with a urinary tract infection! I got my buttons, but by the time I walked the mile or so home, I was beginning to feel more and more puny, with an aching pain in my pelvis.
Sound asleep, just after 8PM, I only got up yesterday morning around 7 to answer my ringing phone, thinking it might be Bruce. Anyway, he came home from the office, took me to the same clinic, and the urine specimen showed it indeed had not cleared up at all. I'm now taking a different antibiotic which is not good news for someone with a history of cdiff, however, I have no choice. We are praying this one will do the trick! Well, duh? Who wouldn't?
In park news, some of the trees are turning redder and redder.
Near the water's edge just past the low white buildings in the back left, there are tennis and basketball courts, part of David Lam Park. Here's how some Canadians are using one of the courts.
Every single day I am so astonished how people let their dogs do whatever they please, including swimming in the park fountain, which I've told you about before.
A few days ago we saw an Animal Control officer visiting the park, responding to some calls from others just astonished at this practice. Her mission was to catch the folks who ignore the leash rule, however, she told us they scattered the minute she arrived. No surprise there. What I find galling about this, let your dog off leash business, is the fact that some of these folks seem to be oblivious to the fact that not everyone likes dogs, and in fact some people are afraid of them. It took only about a day after her visit, and a quick glance at any time of the day, shows about ten people letting their dogs run around like mad with no leash. Listen to me...I sound like an old biddy, don't I?
I realized the other day that perhaps I am so wild about seeing the sky every day is because for so many years I had trees blocking much of my view. Do you suppose there is any truth to that?
Then again, one of the neighbor ladies told me yesterday that the forecast for winter is much like last years, with rain for months on end. Perhaps the explanation is that I am taking advantage of it while I can.
In other news...Monday marked our 50th anniversary of being together! I needn't tell you it has been grand.
yours truly,
Gail
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