Paint Party Friday

I miss Paint Party Friday. Some bloggers burn out, get bored or too busy, or move on, which is what one expects. I've met some lovely people (virtually) through this PPF artistic blog. Rain has been an inspiration with her Thursday's Art Date, living remotely as she does, she sketches, makes cheese, grows her own veggies (I have so failed at that recently), and teaches people what she knows.  

We took a drive last week. I spotted this little barn. 

First stab at it.

I was similarly inspired by Landscape Artist of the Year, created by BBC. We've been watching them at dinner time, as we settle into the evening. As I researched this, I found there is a Canadian version! 

Anyway, I finally managed to sit down and sketch. I am happy with myself.

 

Now, you may wonder what we retirees need to relax from... watching relaxing art shows. The news is discouraging, of course. We are feeling like hermits, but I'm happy with that. We still do not feel comfortable eating indoors in a restaurant, and will continue to mask. This thing isn't done. 

What else weighs us down? We've switched banks, and it's taken a month to get that going and convert things over. I've been banging my head on the wall trying to get this done, having dealt with CRA tax issues – I was triggered by the whole process. I was in no state of mind to do it a few months ago. I worked so hard on this online, it almost defeated me, but the CRA stuff is settled and our medical deductions were finally accepted for 2020. 

We felt that we would get better benefits from a new bank. I've made progress, having managed to switch over my CPP and OAS automatic payments to the new bank account, as the government web site won't allow this right now. 

JB went into the local federal government office to switch over his CPP and OAS to the new account. This was our last resort. A big, burly security guard (there were 2 of them, and 2 employees) asked his purpose in the foyer of the local, and he stated his goal. He sat and waited for service. All was done by a clerk who lives just down the road from us. Yea small towns!

Anyway, JB headed home after picking up some groceries, looking for the snapping turtle he'd seen at the side of the road on the way in to town. It was still there. Traffic was brisk, he was brave and he guarded it, trying to get people to avoid it, hoping for help. He cannot bend and lift with his back issues. They were heroes. Look for the helpers, said Mr. Rogers. 

Snapping turtle heroes!.mp4 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Finally, speaking of paintings: Caitlin was in Toronto for a two-day work conference. She was meant to get on the 18:10 flight back to Ottawa last night. The flight prior to theirs didn't leave until 18:45, nearly 2 hours late. The incoming plane, the one she was to get on, didn't arrive until 19:40. They cleaned it up, they boarded, and waited for take off. The thunderstorm rolled in! Another delay.

They had to wait, for safety reasons. The sky was a painting. They finally left at 21:00 hours, only three hours late. We were all watching her progress, texting back and forth. She was happy to get home, having done some great networking, and socializing with folks she either hasn't seen in years, or on on Zoom!

Have a wonderful weekend, all! 

Heroes and grandparents' reflections

Email from Ontario Paramedic Association: we're getting closer to identifying the hero:

Hello Jennifer

 

Your blog came to my attention and I'd like to be able to track down the paramedic so we can pass along your tkind words.

If you can provide the street the incident occurred ,closest cross street (if possible) and an approximate time we can search for who was there in our mapping software.

 

Glad to hear everyone was okay afterwards.

 

 

Robert Davidson

Commander, Special Operations

Ottawa Paramedic Service

We are getting closer to identifying the hero. More info from my son-in-law:

Jean-Luc Cooke 

Some things not included in public reports from Ottawa - like what they did for kids in my daycare this week.

Paramedic Prise: above the call | Nepean Carleton Greens

www.jeanluccooke.ca

Anthony Dimonte (Chief of Paramedics - City of Ottawa),

I just left you a voice mail prising the work of one of your paramedics.

Yesterday, as the first major snow storm had many of us in the city inconvenienced, one of your Ottawa paramedics did something special and I feel it should be shared with you and others.

My oldest daughter, Josephine, was returning in the car of our day care provider from a making a secret Christmas craft for mommy and papa.  As our provider was turning from Merivale to Hunt Club a
transport truck was unable to stop before the intersection and began to jack knife towards the car filled with children.  Needless to say our day care provider was beside herself with dread and terrible fear for
the lives of the children under her care.  As the transport was moving toward the car, an ambulance moved between the car with my daughter and 3 other children and the on-coming partially jack-knifed transport truck.


From what I've been told, there was no collision.  Our lovely day care provider was in tears after the event and your paramedic came to the car and calmly advised her to drive home, as slowly as she wants,
but drive home and clear the way for traffic.  All the way back, the paramedic followed the car full of kids to make sure they got home safe.  When we picked up our 3 year old at 5 o'clock that evening, our
provider was still visibly upset, apologised profusely and said she would never go out with the kids again in the snow.

Years of service and the events of that day left us convinced of what we already knew - we have no intention of changing our day care provider orour city!

Please pass on my thanks to your team of paramedics.

Another trip for a crew
Bless their souls

Forgive another post today, but we are both in shock. This is a tribute to a stranger who we will likely never meet. Unsung, our heroes perform deeds that only a few can observe. I watch our EMS crews. I have lauded them for years. I bow in honour. Karma has a way of coming back to us.

There are heroes and there are silent heroes.

My granddaughter is cared for by a wonderful caregiver. Shannie participates in all sorts of day care group activities. With a degree in ECE, I know what to look for in a caregiver. She keeps the kiddies busy with various activities. She sends the kids home with precious crafts. She is called 'the good mom', although my daughter, Caitlin, is an incredible mom. Both of these ladies have the patience of Job, caring for the social and emotional needs of these precious children.

Paramedics at the Bala drownings, 8/5/09

Shannie took the kids to an activity on Colonade Road, in Ottawa on Tuesday. She was driving with the kids, on a snow covered road, and saw a truck coming towards her. She managed to swerve off the road, the truck cab had stopped but the truck rear was still sliding. While she did so, a paramedic drove up beside her, passing her to come between her and the truck to protect her. What an amazing feat of heroism. Split second reactions. We are still in shock.
We are trying to contact the paramedic, but Shannie was in such a state she forgot to get his name.
I emailed the Paramedic Association in Ottawa. I hope to find him. We all owe him.  A precious little 3-year old, who just celebrated her birthday, has an angel who guards her.

My husband's take on this:
The day care provider for our granddaughter was taking her and the other kids to an event today.

All of a sudden a dump truck was coming straight for her.

A paramedic was also on the road.

The paramedic placed their vehicle between the dump truck and the car filled with little children,

our grandchild included.

Imagine,  placed their vehicle between a truck and a car of children.

Fortunately, the dump truck was able to stop before a collision occurred.

The paramedic then drove behind the day care provider back to her place.

This all turned out well, and for that we are grateful.

When Caitlin told us this, I was overwhelmed at the courage of an individual to put themselves in

harms way for strangers.

It reminded me, of another incident.

Drownings in Bala, 2009

In Calgary, I worked on the 31st floor of a high rise.

One day, we had a real fire on the bottom floor .

I was the one to see the smoke, and went around yelling at people that the alarms were not a drill, 

and to get out. Then I realized that one of my employees was too pregnant to go down 62 flights of stairs.

I stayed with her for a while, until she convinced me to go down, because the firefighters were coming

up and they would look after her, and I would just add to the problem. 

They did, and she and the baby were both fine. 

The baby is now the Prime Minister of Canada's niece.

But I never forgot, the fire fighters, coming into and up a burning building.

Gravenhurst, ON 2010

This, of course, is what firefighters, police, and paramedics do.

This is what the NYC fire fighters did when they went up the stairs of the burning towers.

It is just that this happened in our little world, and that makes it very real.

Imagine, in those few seconds, deciding to place your vehicle between a large truck and a car filled with strangers.

In a world a news of greed, stupidity, and violence, this is, well, I'm not sure what it is but what I know is that courage and selflessness are in fact real, and that we are all a little raised up, by that fact.