I decided not to push myself too hard and it was Remembrance Day and I wanted to attend the Service online so did not complete the main floor although not much left. One of our French tours involved the Normandy Beaches including Juno and the First World War Cemeteries with a look at the trenches. First of all the care and upkeep of those graveyards is absolutely wonderful - such dedication to maintaining them in perfect condition. Many many Canadians are buried in France sadly and at such young ages it brought tears to your eyes as you walked silently along the lines of graves. This was summer and fall for these two trips and it was a never to be forgotten time in France. We were in France four times in total and saw a great deal of France (same as the British Isles although we were there six times for extended trips). Other parts of Europe we saw less of but still a good view of the entire western Europe area. We were heading into more central parts when COVID struck. The Remembrance Day ceremony at our Cenotaph was as always perfect; the laying of the poppies at the end on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier truly symbolic now and a part of our culture. Until COVID and Edward passed we always went. Thank you as always to everyone who makes this time of Remembrance so meaningful in our lives.
The groceries were delivered and by then I was glad I hadn't ordered very much because I was getting tired so handing in the couple of bags at the door worked very well. Would I do it again? I really prefer to pick my own groceries although everything was excellent. It only took seconds to receive the goods and the person was on their way. The checkin was okay just through the door as I had prepared a card with the order number which was a relief as I didn't want a lot of cold air since I am feeling the flu shot somewhat and still recovering from the bout of flu. All in all successful but mostly I had my chicken at hand and could make my chicken stew that I usually make on Sunday. Plus a few items that will keep me until I shop later. I know where everything is there; occasionally I ask a question but pretty rare. I do not know anybody there although I suppose I should I have lived here for 47 plus years but I went to work every day away from this village (now a city) in 1994 and really I was not part of anything except World Day of Prayer from that time onward and I stepped down from that committee when I started to work at the Hospital. The other item is that my vision is so changed since the cataract surgery that absolutely no one that I knew before looks like they do to me now. I clearly see their faces and before, I didn't realize it, I was missing a lot of detail. Interesting really to have been so involved in a community doing Brownies, Guiding on the District Committee, volunteer Church Secretary, Sunday School Teacher, Helper at school one day a week for a number of years, I even kept score at my daughter's baseball games and knowing virtually no one these days except my neighbours. Interesting really. But I am 80 years old and most of my time is spent with my daughters and family when I am not writing my books.
Looking forward to Parliament next week as I want to see all this process coming to fruition and Canada becoming the great powerful country it is meant to be. Strong and resilient with a well stocked military and the Arctic and Northern areas particularly really coming to their place in Canada as large producers like the rest of the provinces. Although I said both candidates (Liberal and Conservative in the last election) would make a good Prime Minister watching Prime Minister Carney as he goes about the business of government is amazing - I would call him a fiscal conservative actually. He does get things done although I was getting impatient. It takes time; I should know that it always does but there just seemed to be a desire to go faster but methodical is better for sure.
The Prince Rupert Pipeline sounds very exciting and yet another wonderful project to support Canadian growth, jobs, economy proposed and now about to begin by the First Nations in that area. It will be 800 kilometres from Fort St John to Prince Rupert and the depot. British Columbia is doing very very well with projects. We have to get going in Ontario. The mines in the north that the First Nations want to get going, widening the Trans Canada Highway to four lane all the way to the Manitoba border and an eastern pipeline would be so great. We do have to get a move on it with jobs disappearing although the new nuclear project is interesting. I shall be more patient waiting for the Prime Minister to tell us how everything is going along with his Cabinet; he certainly shares very well with his Cabinet in Parliament and outside of it - he doesn't hog centre stage. One always feels that there is someone in that government who has a finger on the pulse where it is needed at all times. That is the advantage to experience and he doesn't try to excite us when there isn't anything exciting to think about. I can feel that I am slipping back into Liberal supporting although he seems so much like the progressive conservatives of the past. We need a calm serious person at the helm and talk about crossing party lines - wow look at what happened in the United States (10 Democratic Senators have supported the funding; that is the way government should work after all we are a democracy). I hate grandstanding in politics; get the job done as there are people out of work.
I am hopeful that Stellantis will develop a new car at their plant that would be an EV and competitive so that our young people in particular would have an inexpensive small car for working/going to school, etc. You really do need a car in Ontario outside the GTA and it would also be useful for the old for sure. Ottawa is getting the train going eventually and that will help with transportation here but still there are huge areas in this province which really only have roads and limited alternate transportation otherwise. My car is in the garage and probably except for a grocery trip until I take it in to get the snow tires on since I moved the appointment. I was right that trying to do that yesterday would have been a step too far. I see more teens have died in a single car crash in southwestern Ontario; perhaps these cars designed for the young (and possibly the old) might require one to prove a good driving record or it gets automatically restrained from going over the speed limit for longer than passing usually requires (nowadays we can set up cases and put them into practice so readily) and the marvels of internet could reveal that to the local police department if ever one exceeds the speed beyond the permitted level for a period of time in excess of simple passing. Our young people are important and we do no want their lives wasted by foolish car accidents.
So today finish the main floor and work on the top floor and I can finish that up tomorrow if needed. We will see. I slept eight hours last night - I must have been a little tired! Usually I sleep seven hours. The stew was absolutely delicious as usual - I love chicken stew made with chicken thighs and the package had twelve so two packages in the freezer and I actually, along with milk powder, have enough food to last me for a while if I want. But I do like fresh milk for sure.
Time to make tea and begin the day. I forgot the H11 Newsletter and will try and work at that today and get it sent off. It will be just a short two pager at the most. Next month is the Pincombe Newsletter - my the time goes fast. I did work on matches but did not get a great deal done but ironed out one tiny mystery and added two more; at the time I created those two files I was missing a possibility and now that one cannot see the 23 and Me Results I can not verify the possibility but not a problem there are 102 matches (I think I might have said 101 before). It isn't that large so may slip it into the "too small" folder.
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