First, several friends have written about my last post on the pipeline issue. I do understand the world has to drastically change its use of energy. But at the same time, I am defending Trudeau’s practical political decision. As he said, “No country in the world would leave billions of barrels of oil in the ground.” We know he is on the right side, but he is also running a vast complex country. Anyway, I am a left wing person coming to his defense. This time, at least. Perhaps, selfishly, because the pipeline is not running close to MY home.

I am in Ottawa to visit my extraordinary aunt Do who, as I’ve said many times, is still living alone at 96. I stay in a room in an airbnb house not far from her, and once again, as always, I am profoundly grateful that my mother and her sister chose to settle in Britannia, on the far west side of Ottawa, right on a beautiful park and the Ottawa River. Walking in the park has saved my sanity many times. I went this morning – it was cold but sunny, gorgeous – and later persuade Do to take a little meander.

Bilingualism, Ottawa style.

An abandoned home

Ninety-six! She used to be my height – about 5′ 81/2″. Now she’s about 5’3″.

We solved the thorny longstanding curtain problem with a jaunt to Westgate Mall and its subterranean curtain store Cozzy (sic) Coverings. Yes! And then had a coffee in this rather desolate mall and watched the passers-by, including several homeless people there to get warm, who were escorted out – a crack addict in flip-flops whose feet were blue. Ottawa is no place to be homeless. NO place is no place to be homeless, but especially a place with winters like the ones here.

Last night we had dinner with a friend of Do’s and watched an episode of “The Crown.” So so good.
Now my aunt is off to play Scrabble, and I’m going for dinner with my brother and his son Jake. My only Canadian family, besides my kids and grandkids, these three. Ottawa is full of ghosts. But some nice warm bodies too.

P.S. Listened to some of Cross-Country Check-up on CBC as I was driving to dinner. It was about the pipeline decision. It’s possible I will change my tune. Okay, yes, occasionally, very occasionally, I am wrong.