Family

What about family you ask? I’ve visited with Matt, Cornelia and Audrey; Mirela, Jason, Benny and Mila; and now with Beth, William and Isabella; they’re all so different and unique in their own way and I’ve enjoyed the visits with each family so much.

Now you’re probably saying it’s because of the beer and food –and that helps 🙂– but to me it’s about the conversation. Everyone is going through a challenging time and my discovering how each of them is dealing with it (or not) is uplifting. To have this uncle/cousin drop in is only adding to their struggle with COVID and I appreciate being welcomed into their family. They’ve all been gracious and I hope that the camaraderie outweighs the risk of my being here.

The other thing that happens with family is they expand. I enjoyed chatting with Cornelia and Mirela who bring so much to the family. Finding out how their children are becoming their own individual people with such great attitudes and ideas is a treat for me. This is evident in the amount of laughter last night with Beth, Isabella and William. William made us a salmon dinner that was exceptional. It seemed as though we could talk about any subject and find common ground and new perspectives.

The cycling

I didn’t get too far from Matt’s when I had a blow out in High Park. The tire had a gash in it so I’m now running on my spare. Headed down to the lake where it was much cooler and scenic. The waterfront trail is a great network for cyclist moving east/west on Lake Ontario. It can be slow and confusing too so getting on roads is a nice change. Headed north from Port Credit through some terribly gaudy and ostentatious architecture on my way to beautiful countryside and difficult climbs. I’m lucking in on the road choices; little traffic and wide shoulders.