Back to my roots

I have been home for 2 weeks now and this is the first chance I have had to write something! My 'Social Secretary' my sister has had me extremely busy! In fact although I haven't had time to scratch myself, she has done a remarkable job of setting things up so that I have been able to see quite a few people in a short time.

I arrived on the 10th of August and my journey took me 27 1/2 hours from my door to the airport in Toronto. Although I had organised before I left to have wheelchair assistance it was a bit lacking with Air Canada. After waiting in a wheelchair, with two other ladies who needed assistance, for more than 10 minutes I decided to kick up a bit of a stink. Needless to say that got them going. Then the attendant had the audacity to tell me that if I wanted to use a wheelchair then I was going to always have to wait. Boy he picked the wrong person to say that to. After stating a few facts I then asked him if it meant that I was a second class citizen! He didn't say another word, but took me right to the luggage retrival. Once there I thanked him for his assistance (no reply) and told him I didn't need him anymore.

After gathering my one bag I headed out the door to my excited family waiting for me. But when I walked out I stood there looking for them! It took me a couple of minutes to find my parents sitting away from the entrance, mom yawning and dad (although blind) starring into space! After finding them, I advised them I was glad they were excited to see me (tongue in check). They thought I would be coming out in a wheelchair...so much for Air Canada service!

On the way to their home I realised why I love Melbourne so much. I felt like I had landed in a concrete jungle and to top it off there had been a huge propane gas explosion that morning. This propane depot was located in a residential area, there was one dead and hundreds evacuated from their homes with damage to homes like a bomb had gone off. The major highway that cuts across Toronto from east to west was closed so getting from the airport (located in the west) to my parents home (in the east) was in itself a chore! But we did eventually arrive and was very happy to see my sister, nephew and niece waiting for us.

We had a bit of a birthday party celebrating my sister's, neices and mine all in one. It was great to be able to actually give them their presents. I think the worst part about living half way around the world is not seeing them and being able to celebrate things like birthdays.

The first week seems like it was a whirlwind. With spending a night with my ex partner from the police force and his wife, to my nephews soccer game (which they won 7-3!), to spending a night at my sisters house, then taking a train to my best friends home almost 3 hours out of Toronto, then returning home via train to my parents.

If I thought the second week was going to get any better then I had better think again.

My sister Cindy had organised a lunch east of Toronto with two very good friends from my police force days, Bonnie and Deb. We went to Bonnie's home (I must admit my dream home!) and had a great afternoon with not only her and Deb, but also Bonnie's husband Mark and son Chad. It was a great catch up but again probably too short.

The next day I had put my foot down and told Cindy that it was a day for the girls. Unfortunatley my mom couldn't make it, she had a previous appointment with a surgeon for cataract surgery. So Cindy , my neice Lea and I had our own spa day, pampering ourselves with facials, foot baths and pedicure's. This was a good break in an otherwise busy week. Although I must admit that the next 3 days were great, spent in Northern Ontario on a lake. The weather reaching 28 degrees for most of the 3 days. My neice and nephew now being older (13 and almost 15) were great to be around and wanted to show me the skills they had now acquired behind a ski boat! Absolutely amazing, but then again they are my neice and nephew!

We also had another couple and their children join us, friends from high school days. What a blast to catch up with them and talk about other people from those days. Funny enough it turns out one guy I went to school with is now living in Melbourne! Talk about a small world.

It was then time to hit the road again and head back to Toronto for my last week in town. Today we attended the Toronto Island for a 5km walk/run in memory of my friend Deb's dad, who died of Prostate Cancer. Deb has run this for the last 8-10 years and although the weather man had called for thunderstorms today, the rain held off, the event had double the people from the last year and it was a huge success. I met up with other people I had worked with on the Toronto force, had a great catch up, my dad walked with my sister, while I babysat the bags and chatted. The rain waited until all the awards were given out and we were waiting for the ferry to take us back to the mainland. I told Deb that her dad must have been watching over her to hold the rain back!

So here I am now after having had a light dinner with mom and dad and catching up on my emails, facebook and blog. It has been a whirlwind 2 weeks but I have enjoyed every minute of it. I have even been able to fit in a 2 ergos a week so that I am not completely out of breath when I pick up my training in just over a weeks time. Athough I will be on the strictest diet when I get home! To much visiting, eating, drinking, eating and drinking!

I am now bracing myself for my last week in Toronto and I am certainly looking forward to catching up with more friends and family!