Friday, July 7, 2023, I became the proud “Super Nana” (great grandmother) to another beautiful girl!!! How Mal, who is the size of a toothpick, could hide an 8 lb. 2 oz. baby in her super-slim body is astounding!
Blakely Rome Carmichael is my 7th great grandchild; (girls outnumber the boys 5 – 2). Friends ask me about her name. “Rome?? As in the city of Rome? Why?”
Her parents love Italy and the second name of each of their three daughters is the name of an Italian city; Cooper Capri, Taylor Sienna and now Blakely Rome. I can hardly wait to meet “Baby B”, as Jay calls her, but it will be sometime in late August when the young Carmichael family visit me in Ottawa to do the introductions. I know the time till then will pass quickly – too quickly when you’re approaching your 90’s!
Note: This news about Blakely didn’t make it into last Sunday’s blog because there were some complications around her birth that had to be dealt with before announcements could be made. Everything is 100% now and so I can shout the news to the rooftops!
After the wonderful news about Blakely’s good health came through on Monday, things were quiet for a couple of days until Wednesday, when I had to go to Loblaw’s for a few groceries. That sounds pretty mundane, except it wasn’t!
I had visited all the fruits and veggie aisles, gasping at the terrible prices and checking out the 50% off bins where I did find a decent broccoli. Then I found a small piece of salmon in the fish counter, also 50% off and moved from there to the $6 prepared meals counter. Nothing gluten free, unfortunately.
For some unknown reason, before moving on, I looked down at the floor in front of the counter and there, lying in front of my feet was my gold necklace. As I often do, I had put my wedding ring and Don’s on the chain that morning. It’s kind of a symbolic gesture, our two rings fitting together on the chain, my ring inside his. I hadn't felt anything when the chain slipped off my neck. I had no reason to look down to the floor. There it was lying at my feet. But the rings– where were the rings? Why weren’t the rings close by? They were nowhere to be seen.
Somewhat frantic I stopped an employee passing by me and asked her to please call the manager. Questioning me as to why, she immediately summoned another worker from behind the adjoining small kitchen area. When she heard my story, she fetched a long spatula. Getting on her knees, she swept the tool under the small space between the counter and the floor. The only thing that came out was a screw. No rings.
Another employee came by and joined us in the hunt. Two of us then started at the doorway where I had entered the store, walking up and down the aisles where I had been, checking around and under the counters. I even checked under the fish in the fish counter as well as the floor. Nothing.
Ruefully accepting the reality that my rings may never be found, or perhaps found but not returned, I gave my particulars to Customer Service in the hope they would contact me with good news. As I walked away with a heavy heart to finish shopping, I found myself silently imploring Don, "If your spirit is still anywhere near, please, please help me find our rings."
About ten minutes later, I walked down the frozen food section toward checkout. Coming toward me was one of the women who had helped in the hunt, accompanied by a male employee. When she saw me, a big smile broke out on her face as she shouted, “I found the rings! I found the rings!” In disbelief I looked at the rings she placed in my hand and threw my arms around her. Thanking her profusely, I asked, “Where did you find them?” “On the floor in front of the fish counter, but across the aisle from each other.” she replied. I tried to give her a reward, which she adamantly refused, saying that finding the rings for me was all the reward she wanted. There are some very good people in this world.
I texted this story to my friend in Calgary in which I said, “Why couldn’t several of us, who looked everywhere, including around the seafood counter, find them sitting there??? There will never be an answer to this mystery that will satisfy my curiosity!“
She texted back, “It does make you think about parallel universes, energy factors, personal Angels. Strange that you still had the gold chain but not the rings – you’d think the chain would slip off along with the rings. So another day to be joyous!” Indeed it was.
Later that same afternoon, Judith, Mimsie and I became members of the Bytowne Cinema, which gives us generous discounts on our tickets both that day and for future screenings. Wednesday's film was “The Tasting”, a French film with English sub-titles. “The Tasting”, was described on the Internet as, “Delightful and witty, this heartfelt romance is best served with a glass of French wine.”
Always quick to do as told, (?) we watched enraptured while sipping a glass of white wine! How civilized the movies have become – even the old ones like Bytowne. A fine finish to a day that turned out to be joyous indeed!
The day may have been finished but the week wasn’t. At 9:30 Friday morning. my ex-daughter-in-law, Kim, from Aurora, Ontario, arrived at my door. After some catching up over a leisurely coffee we went shopping – I’m still looking for white running shoes. Good grief, there are hundreds of different brands, styles, materials and prices! The pair I liked most and that fit most comfortably on my deformed toes (caused by years of wearing stiletto heels all day, every day) is $200, plus tax. I asked how to clean them. The clerk smiled and said "Just be careful". I told her I’d think about it! I'll continue my search.
Kim and I walked around the Byward Market checking out out a few places of interest, then decided on lunch at The Grand for gluten free pizza and beer (second time there for me in a week!). Over lunch we had long conversations about family and friends, then walked the two blocks to the boutique hotel where Vaino was waiting to check in. I carried on home after we made a quick trip to the LCBO. I used Don’s cane while walking that morning. My iphone recorded almost 5000 steps, more than normal for me, but this time was different - no tired legs, no pain! I felt like I could walk another 5000 steps. Perhaps using the cane is the answer until I eventually get my leg muscles built up.
Yesterday, Saturday, Kim, Vaino and I went to Dee’s for an afternoon beside her pool and a barbecue dinner. There they met Tony for the first time and Dee met Vaino for the first time. After an hour everyone was relaxed, talking and laughing like they'd known each other for years. It was a lovely day.
The past week had a poor start, but it certainly ended on a high. What's in store for the coming week, I wonder?