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Showing posts with label #writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #writing. Show all posts

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Social Distancing - Day 27

 It's Easter weekend and a different weekend then we are used to. Easter with my mother this year involved a phone call as I walked along a path on the edge of the city. The wind was icy cold - strange for this time of year. What remains of winter couldn't melt away today, still too cold.

But back to that phone visit. It's strange to only share phone calls especially today. It would be better if we could at least see each other. Unfortunately, social distancing happened before I was able to set my mom up with Zoom or Skype or...  And, I'm not so sure if she's into me seeing her as she talks. Yesterday, she admitted to hanging out in her nightgown longer than normal. After all, there's no one stopping by.  I have to admit that the temptation to wear something so ugly that it's comfy or staying in your house coat for half the day looms. I mean, why not, there's no one that's going to catch you being lazy. There's not even the threat of a bottle drive crew knocking at the front door. The street is almost empty. No one, except another neighbour walking her dog. From the back, no one except the children down the easement jumping like crazy on their trampoline. Back to the front - no one except the neighbour's children dropping a homemade card in the mailbox. Okay - that was an assumption based on the card. I missed the delivery so I couldn't even wave at them through the window. But I can appreciate the thought behind the card every time I look at it.

The path I'm walking now winds for miles along the outskirts of the city.  It's become a favourite means of meditation and exercise these last weeks. So far, there's no social distancing required - it's empty, of people that is. Today, I did see a trio of robins and a
squirrel. I also had two kindly dogs bark at me. I gave them a quick hi as they remained safely distanced behind their fences and I continued on my way.

The playground equipment in an empty park caught my eye. The swings and teeter totter had caution tape across them and a barricade was placed in front of all of it. That just made me feel uneasy.  I left the park and headed toward the street and the easement beyond. Before I got there I saw one woman jogging, we did a polite across the street dodge and went on our way. Me turning to walk down the empty easement. It's rather eerie. Yesterday at least when I reached the end of one block, there had been the family walking down the street. I'd waited until they were on the intersecting street before heading down the next easement. I even waited longer than necessary but mostly because of a small boy dressed as a - I'm not sure, but I'm guessing, gopher. It was a full furry body suit, brown and covered everything including his head - I'm assuming that it didn't cover his face but I didn't get that close. I wanted to ask in the worst way, what he was pretending to be. But - the social distancing thing. Thus, I can't tell you for sure what animal he was pretending to be but I'm betting he was at least warm.

So after today's almost 4 kilometre walk, I think that I can cross my televised exercise crew off the list. After all I walked and it is Easter. Time to enjoy the rest of the day.

But before I close, I'm sharing this picture of the morning sky. It was gorgeous. There was no other word for it. It was a crisp blue with the clouds cutting across in a way that really could and should, have been painted.


Happy Easter!









Take care, keep safe!

Ryshia


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Thursday, February 13, 2020

What You Won't Do For Research

I've been spending one evening a week at the local police station. An odd place to spend one's evenings. But it's here I find myself since I've signed up for the Citizens Police Academy. I knew that writing romantic suspense meant that I needed to learn more about policing and crime. Surfing the net, and safely scouring the library shelves was really research on the fringes. That all changed one evening in mid-January.

So, there I am, me and a classroom spilling with enthusiastic wannabe cops. BTW do you know that the nickname, cops, has a couple of supposed reasons for existing - one was that the English Bobbies had copper buttons that flashed in the sunlight. The other... not sure.
But, I digress - right now it's me and a classroom full of people who may be pulling me over for a traffic ticket in years to come. Hopefully not, but my foot is a little heavy some days - not all, just saying.

But let's not talk traffic, that's dull compared to the topics we have covered; search and rescue, gangs, drug trafficking, explosives, canines - and there's more with still weeks to come; including my ride-along. I was telling my writer group about my new experience and one author's eyes lit up when she heard that I'd literally have a "captive" audience for my questions as the ride-along is for a twelve hour shift. Somehow, I don't think the ride along will be an opportunity to interrogate. At least not on my side of the fence. There's that old adage about backseat drivers or in this case, interrogators.

So I have learned about the city's gangs, seen the most common drugs - literally as they were passed around in baggies. I've seen a gang initiation lifted from facebook, of all places. It was frightening in its brutality. I learned about the police divers rescuing in mid winter beneath the ice. No rescue, only retrieval - count me out, wait for spring. With all the crime stats, drug lair stakeouts and gang activity info that I've been faced with - well... If I look at you sideways, don't take offence, I'm looking at everyone sideways these days.

Then there was the police dog. Yes, I know he's rough and tough but I just wanted to take him home and cook him dog biscuits. Nope, he wasn't interested in anything or anyone other than his rubber ball and his handler.

So off to the land of gangs and crime. Interesting stuff especially the gangs. After all, there was a gang in Marshal on a Mission. I'm guessing there will be a gang soon, again in another story.

Stay safe and if you're anywhere near the frozen north - keep warm.

Ryshia


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