my brother had a letter published in the vancouver sun yesterday. he wrote how kind our family had found vancouver’s citizens to be this past weekend. it’s true.
we’re now in the getting "things" done stage. there is a great deal to do. banking has taken up the most time so far. last night pam and i went through gran’s refrigerator and threw out all items past their best before dates. we also took the tops off and washed all lids, wiped the smears off ice cream containers, etc. today, besides more banking, we also had to pick up some photos, take in recycling, and various other tasks. i started writing the obituary notice that will appear saturday’s paper.
we made time for a walk along the beach. oh, what a beautiful country canada is. do residents of crescent beach take this beauty forgranted? i looked at their faces as they walked along in their shirt sleeves, fleeces tied around their waists, dogs slobbering on their pantlegs. when looking at the mountains, mirrored below by the ocean, i can’t appreciate hong kong. i can’t remember its beauty, why this is a city i love so much.
we park the car, and walk metres to a shop. in those few minutes of walking, the wind blows through my hair. i squint up at the sun. i smell fresh air. in hong kong, there are no open air car parks. the air, is not fresh. those moments of inhaling beauty are not there. there is the inhalation of excitement.
being here, with family, at such a time, has made me not love hong kong less, but question if our time there is ending. people tend to have waves of contentment…for the last years charles and i have been very PRO-HONG KONG; not wanting to move, not considering out of town offers seriously. but now…i am torn. in two days the smell of the sea will be off my hands and hair and my senses will no longer be so overwhelmed. and i will be committed to hong kong once more. but i will also be an ocean away from my gran, parents and siblings.
