WELCOME to my Blog site entitled Antoinetta DeWit's Garden of Poetry and Prose. I have enjoyed writing stories and poems for a very long time and now, during my retirement years, I have found the time to become more serious about this hobby and to share my creations with you. I will be posting soon. I hope you will enjoy the walk!
Happy To Be High
If she is high on a lot of life
And high on a lot of living
Then let her be high
Pump it up and let it flow
Higher than a kite
Quietly High
with occasional turbulences
Trying to slow her down
Like drama, jealousy and envy
But failing.
She is high, happy to be high
Beyond what she could have imagined
Confidently holding hands and head high
Embracing high fives.
Happy to be high at last.
Antoinetta DeWit
August 2023
Garden of Glory
After enjoying two fabulous weeks near the equator, far removed from mountains and Canadian scenery but close to heaven, harmony and unimpeded happiness, it has also been great to come to my other home and back into the groove of retirement life in British Columbia.
As tired as I often feel on day one of my return, I once again rolled over out of bed at a very weird early hour, wide awake and anxious to get ready for the plan for the day.
Before heading out to the community indoor pool for an Aquafit session with a group of like-minded, diverse and very interesting aqua mammals, I loaded the washing machine, made a delicious mochachino coupled with authentic dutch gouda on toasted pumpkin seed bread, and turned on the iPad to catch up on scrabble turns and news.
The welcome back at the pool was heartwarming and appreciated; the class was refreshing and it nicely awakened dormant muscles. It is very hard to endure outdoor exercises in the tropics because it is so very hot; and, since outdoor exercises is what I favour, being away from them usually requires a bit of a slow ease to get back into the groove. It now only takes one class and it is like I never left. I also easily see the grumpy mammal in front of me at the pool is as grumpy and unpleasant to me (and me alone) as ever — she is an interesting study but that would be a whole different story to tell. Needless to say this garden of glory story has no room for weeds.
By early afternoon, I start to feel my feet drag and I yearn to stretch out on my comfortable sofa for a few zees. I fight it off by doing the basics like opening mail, returning phone calls, reconciling expenses, paying bills, and making a grocery list. I open my paper ‘month in a glance’ booklet and start to fill in the slots with social and recreational plans.
At some point, I cannot keep my eyes open much longer. I fall to a summer catnap and wake up just in time for a 3 pm game of online cribbage with a friend in Peterborough. It is one of those daily routine things that takes a bit of a hiatus when I am away.
Although I am not an avid television viewer, and I do not use recording devices, there are two weekdays shows I enjoy watching when they are on — 4 pm and 7 pm. Due to the nature of those shows, it is very easy to catch up and figure out what actually happened. The story lines are intriguing and they help me keep my own creative juices well oiled.
By day two this time, I woke up a bit later and felt a lot better. I glanced at my ‘to do’ list and plotted out a cycling map to accomplish as much as I could in one circle route. Bank, Post Office, Drug Store, groceries, take-out lunch. I reconnected with my FB social groups on line and friends in person, and joined the walking group for a 90 minute walk along the dyke paths nearby.
In the days leading me closer to Canada Day (July 1), I go to my ‘go to’ storage area to dig up the appropriate apparel for the local festivities. I usually go to a different community every year to see how the celebrations differ, but this year I am doing the same as last year — cycling to Pitt Meadows in the morning and Maple Ridge in the afternoon.
The day turns out to be a beautiful warm and sunny one with very little traffic, as I cycle the almost four kilometres to the Spirit Square in Pitt Meadows. I arrive early but many of the booths are set up and the pancake breakfast was in full swing. At the information booth I take a tattoo, flag and mojo; I talk to some people I know; I check out the venders and found myself freeze in front of the three flag poles donning flags at half mast. I ask around to find out who died and why the flags were in mourning. Nobody had an answer, not even the clerks at the library booth, and oddly nobody seemed to care, I did care and was very bothered, as I moved on to view the tall stick people and the star wars character picture booth.
After eating the pint of fresh blueberries from the local blueberry farmer at the Khalsa tent, I left Pitt Meadows along a quiet and safe route following the railway tracks most of the way before turning north to the very impressive multi-use path along 117th. That path in and of itself assures me my tax dollars have been well spent.
I make my way to the Memorial Park in Maple Ridge where a flurry of vendors, promotional booths, samples, freebies, a market and entertainment. I saw many familiar faces and was especially glad to enjoy a large freshly squeezed lemonade! I entered a contest to name a Jeep; it is not clear if the winning name wins the Jeep or some other prize; but, I’m expecting a phone call in the days ahead to announce my win !
I saw a couple of my co-aquafitters fully enjoying their day donned in red and white. One was that grumpy mammal from whom I stayed clear because nothing and nobody will ever be given a chance to dampen my spirit on Canada Day! I did not want to give her cause to ignite that awful side of her either. Her two companions would be equally stunned, I am sure. I continue to hope she gets the help she needs to move forward. I have offered to wave my fee!
I did have a few good chats with the other one, and her delightful husband — both very pleasant people. My friend Tina was managing the COUNTRYFEST promo between the Llamas and rabbits! She heads that organization and is the brains behind its success. Her booth was getting a lot of attention and it was nice of her to allow me to station my bicycle there while I went off to view the classic cars and watch the fabulous Indigenous dancing on the MainStage. This was another wonderful day in the life of a happy Maple Ridge resident and proud Canadian! It was topped off with an ice-cold sparkling made in Canada apple cider!
Canadians are known to be pretty low key when it comes to patriotism; but, on Canada Day clear across the country, people come out in droves to partake in the festivities. Many don the red and white clothes, apply the maple leaf tattoo, hold the paper flag, wear the flag pin on their tops, and stand tall and proud during the singing of O Canada. It is quite amazing and impressive. It does not seem to matter if I experience it in small towns, medium cities or large metropolises — we know how fortunate we are; we know we have come a long way in 156 years; we know we have some wrongs to correct; and, we can now finally say the tide on those wrongs are turning in the right direction as more and more people are clueing in.
As my family and friends already know, I love to escape to the glory of my home away from home (Aruba); but, I also love to come home to enjoy the many glories of this home too. In a sense, they are two very different paradises; but, I will never choose one over the other, and always fully enjoy both — making sure the metaphoric ‘gardens’ are well tended to in either place.