Regina, Memories and Geese

“Here we are in Regina.”

It was always the standard toast we made while we lived here. We lived in Regina for thirteen or so years. Bill and I were still almost honeymooners when we moved away from home in Saskatoon so he could take his first engineering job with Sask-Tel. Bill and I bought our first new car and home in this city. We had our daughters in this city. Our kids started school in this city. Memories flow through me like warm sun on a spring day.

Ahhh Regina!

We were touring around the legislature and the lake yesterday, when I was struck by the memory of the time I took the girls to Wascana park to feed the geese. I can visualize it so clearly as if it happened yesterday. The day was a typical windy hot spring time day. The girls had finished school for the afternoon and I thought that this would be the perfect outing for them. They were about 6 and 8. We had our bag of stale bread. We parked away from the water. The geese and their droppings were everywhere. The girls and I picked our way to the water front to feed the geese. It was one of those moments in life when a perceived good thing turns south so rapidly that there was no way to stop it.
The girls clamored to get their bread and break it up for the geese. They would lure them close and then drop it for them. One by one we fed the geese until the bread bag was empty. Who knew that geese are so greedy? The geese approached and the girls showed them the empty bag by dumping it upside down and pouring out the crumbs. The geese scrambled forward en mass to get the little bits. It was as if these geese knew this meant that there was no more. The girls moved backward and the geese moved in closer. Before we knew it, the girls and I were making a run for the car. Jackie would not let go of the bread bag. Running and honking and hissing behind us were the dozen or so geese that were sure we had more bread for them. Panic was everywhere. The girls screamed in terror as the geese seemed to gain on them. The harder we ran the faster they were. I have never unlocked car doors so fast. The girls jumped in and slammed their doors tight and locked them. The geese pecked at the door. The girls screams turned to tears. Who knew what capacity of vindictiveness these Regina geese had?
I can bet you that the girls still remember this.

As we continue to tour around Regina, the memories come at me with incredible clarity.
I love these memories. They are the wonderful “warm fuzzies” of a less frantic time. It is what I hope I remember when everything else is gone.

As Bill and I wait out the brewing perfect storm of a spring snowstorm in Saskatchewan, I have memories flying at me with love and laughter.

Life is good.

Wendy KH

24/7

Bill is retired. Bill is at home now. Bill is home 24/7 as they say. We are both at home 24/7.
I have been more or less retired for almost 3 years. I have carved out a niche in my alone time. I have found hobbies that occupy my daytime.

I have worries. I know that these worries are not new ones to many a retired folk. They are however new for Bill and I.

In approximately one month, Bill and I will have been married for 33 years. In that time we have never lived 24/7 in each others life for more than a few weeks of holidays.

We are embarking on a new voyage. As I see this voyage, it has no end date.
The ship of “24//7” has not charted a course. It will follow the wind as it blows us out to retirement. It has a skeleton crew and we are about to lift anchor.


WendyH