A very different kind of Christmas this year
A walk in the woods and a quiet night at home
There was an announcement on Dec. 21 just in time for Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes, you could still gather for Christmas but after that ... no, I don’t think so. Well, that changed things for me as I am sure it did for many of you.
Christmas Eve was cancelled as it had been originally planned. Part of the original plans involved a 99-year-old, soon to be a centenarian. There is a hoped-for birthday party planned for the not so far away future, so a lockdown on Boxing Day made a lockdown on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day immediate. Church was online. OK? As an individual living alone, I could “consider having exclusive close contact with one other household.” Thanks to Barb and Michael, “the one other household” that took me off the streets, we had a great Christmas Eve.
Next plans were to have a Boxing Day feast at my place with Peterborough friends Rosi and Frank and a possible visit from neighbours down the road.
Neighbour Tetyana called when she got her invitation. Did
I know that I could face a fine for having an illegal gathering (inviting people from different households) between $10,000 and $100,000? Those attending could be fined from $750 to $100,000. Even more good news. But how would “they” know? Good question, but she and her husband wouldn’t be coming.
Rosi and Frank ... they would love to come, but they didn’t have money to give to the province. They invited me to their
place for Christmas Day. OK! That would work. I had cancelled kennel plans for Della, but she was given permission to attend. That was good!
Christmas Day came. I woke up with a sore throat. Really? A sore throat? What next? I was sure that I didn’t have COVID-19. Well, mostly sure. And what if I did? So, I called. “Rosi, I have a sore throat.“Quick reply, “Thank you for being honest. We can have dinner any time.” “Okee dokee.” So ... my Christ
mas Day was had eating some junk food, drinking a little wine and watching movies.
My plans did and do involve walking. On Boxing Day, I was feeling well. I did a gift delivery to those that were locked down since Christmas Eve and enjoyed a beautiful walk through Snowdon Park in the Haliburton area. A recent snow decorated the trees as though a professional had done the windows. A huge wetland invited you to sit, contemplate the stillness and wonder how it would evolve in the next season.
Back at my place, there were brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet potatoes and chicken waiting expectantly. I could do something with that.
Christmas is a season to enjoy, share some joy and wait expectantly for the next plan.
As a postscript there are lots of people using walking as part of their plans. The parking lot at the Chase property was full to overflowing. Kawartha Land Trust has made many walking opportunities available in this area. Check out the website at kawarthalandtrust.org.
More BCC news
The centre is closed and will remain closed an extra week this year, reopening Monday Jan. 11, thinking it prudent to observe a “community isolation or quarantine” period following the holidays and also giving Judy and Bill more time to recharge from the COVID-19 rituals imposed on the BCC.
The good news is an early Christmas present was received from Sherry and Sean Bourne, representing the Bourne Family Charitable Foundation, who presented the BCC with a cheque for $60,000 to pay off the balance of the Solar Array mortgage! Many thanks to the Bourne family for their amazing gift.