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  • My Weekend

    By Lindsie

    I went to my parents’ house this weekend for a pretty routine summer visit / restock fresh produce. I drove up on Friday night after work, supper, dishes, and a nap. I also had to pack. Which, I am pretty good at packing now for a weekend in Duncan; or an overnight in Vancouver; or a 15 day cruise. Or anything really. I used to make lists and sub-lists, and then a master list, which I fun but time consuming and I can just wander around my house now and through things into a bag. As long as I have the non-replaceables (medication; passport; prescription glasses/contacts) I’m not too bothered. (That’s a lie. I’m quite bothered if I forget a thing. But in theory (and in practice on a couple of occasions) I can just buy or go without if needed. In this instance I forgot the square plug-in part of my phone charger, but that’s actually not a big deal because Mum has a lot at her house and I borrowed one there.

    When I arrived, Dad was outside and stared at me in my car like some stranger had just driven down the driveway and parked in his garage. I, in turn, stared at him like I was inspecting sasquatch.

    “Who’s that!” he enquired.

    “Who are you?” I replied. It’s one of our classic bits.

    “OH it’s Lindsie!” he finally realized. And I, noting that he was not, in fact, sasquatch, felt confident in removing myself from my car.

    Saturday was busy. I got up early and put on my laundry (busy AND exciting, I should have said.) Then when that was hung out on the line, Mum and I went for a shop. Winners, where we found what we were looking for a and only just a few things extra. Walmart (same). And the dollar store. We had lists and found everything. Then a stop at Thrifys because Mum needed to buy a peach and one or two other things that were in the flyer, including liverwurst, which Mum is confident in purchasing with me present only because I am allergic to it.

    Saturday evening was BBQ salmon dinner and Bonnie and Scott came. Mum and Bonnie were in Disneyland earlier this month, and we got Bonnie’s perspective on the trip (I’d had Mum’s summary already) and also some ballet technique exercises.

    Also I found a reeeealy old bottle of Riesling in Dad’s wine storage and, after a controlled experiment discovered that it was really tasty. It went well with the salmon.

    There were no plans on Sunday, and me and Mum went for a swim at Maple Bay, and then for a little walk. And then naps. And then chicken dinner. with corn and caesar salad and potatoes. And then I helped Mum organize the bookmarks on her browser. Around 7pm when we would usually have our phone call we sat out in the pergola and chatted in person.

    Then today (Monday) I came home after filling my car with as much fresh produce as was available. And eggs! I almost forgot to take eggs!

    The end.

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  • Burritos

    There are frozen burritos at Save-On. There haven’t been frozen burritos (at least the ones I want) in the stores for at long time. There was a production shortage? Maybe? Someone said that, so I sortof stopped looking, but there were some there on Saturday morning when I was at the Save-On Foods at [redacted – my burritos].

    I haven’t had a frozen burrito for three years almost to the day. You might be wondering: How can I remember something so mundane? Well first off, Hi, I’m Lindsie, nice to meet you. But second off. There are extenuating circumstances surrounding the event.

    Trigger Warning: COVID.

    When I got COVID in early July 2022 I had two frozen burritos in my freezer. They were probably Reisers brand, as that is the brand I prefer over The Other Brand, and the beef and bean flavour (e.g. the flavour that doesn’t contain cheese). (Note that I think I’ve seen “vegan” burritos in this three years since I said I haven’t had frozen burritos, but I don’t feel those count.) At the time I would have purchased a bulk bag of them: 12 to a bag, though maybe it was a box? Twelve individually packaged ones to a box. I’ve experienced both, though now I think, it was The Other Brand that had the bag.

    Either way.

    I remember I had two left because I had COVID, and I had taken an inventory of food in my house after taking the test to make sure I could survive not leaving the house for a week or five days I was supposed to quarantine for. Or, as it turned out, the two weeks before I could physically move enough to leave my apartment. Whatever.

    I probably remember i had two burritos because I was calculating when to eat them, or whether to eat them. Two days into knowing I had COVID I stopped wasting energy on making myself regular bowl-sized portions of food because I couldn’t eat them, and I didn’t want to eat any of the leftovers. I remember making a big dish of rice pudding and eating it in custard cup-sized portions that I couldn’t finish.

    I don’t remember eating the first of my last two burritos, but lots of protein and easy to prepare: I would have been glad to have it.

    The worst of my days with COVID was the Tuesday of the second week. This came probalby after a weekend of maybe thinking I was starting to feel better ( you know, COVID). But on that Tuesday, I felt bad: as in, not comfortable in any position, and most of the day spent curled up in bad (where I had been spending a lot of time before that in various reclining-sitting positions on my bed or on the couch).

    There was a point in the afternoon where I realized that I hadn’t eaten all day, and the thought was that food is necessary to live even if I don’t want it. But what was there to eat that I could even stomach when I didn’t want to eat? Luckily, there was that one last frozen burrito.

    I remember waiting for it to warm up in the microwave. I sat on the armrest of the couch, uncomfortable and having a hard time being upright, thinking to myself, This Isn’t Good.

    I ate the last burrito lying down on my side? Feeding it into my mouth sideways? Halfway through and that was enough. I moved the plate away from my face, picturing waking up with it smashed into my cheek or something. (Hehe)

    I maybe slept then, or watched/listened to the TV shows I would have had streaming – Coronation St for when I was going to sleep for sure. I don’t remember what I watched when was awake. Maybe nothing; it was a bad day and concentrating on a plot might have been too much. I would have had my curtains open to let in the light, which is nice, maybe even the window open for fresh air – Yes, in July. Yes. My laptop would have been open beside me on the bed. Close to my face: if I wasn’t wearing my glasses so I could eventually sleep I can’t see far enough if I have to adjust the volume or change to the next episode.

    I did sleep at some point, and when I woke I finished the bit of burrito, glad I didn’t have to get up to make something else; still not hungry but needing to eat. Also: imagery of baby chicks who eat at their lil trough, then sleep right there, ready to eat again when they wake up again. (Hehe.)

    Later, when I was better and looking to get them again, the Great Burrito Shortage must have been happening. Probably – like lots of things in 2022. I wondered if that maybe was a good thing – if maybe eating them again might be triggering, or if I might have lost a taste from eating them while I was sick, as happens. However, I’m pretty happy to have found them again, and not too much more expensive than they were before(burrito miracle). I bought two.

    P.S. I laughed mabye waaaay too much when I was relating this whole story to Mum this evening during our phone call. She was just quiet in a “uh that’s not really funny?” sort of way. To be fair, I found it all very hilarious at the time, so.

    P.P.S. On the day after this bad day I started getting hungry again for very specific foods. I had a list ready when Susan asked at three and she delivered after work: oranges, ketchup chips, and yogurt. I went though the whole bag of chips very quick and I was a little concerned– but then I remembered how I hadn’t eaten anything for about a week at that point so if ketchup chips was all I wanted, it was ketchup chips I was going to have.

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  • July 16, 2025

    ”Meeting Art, July 16, 2025.” Ball-point pen on printer paper. Collection of the artist.

  • Hair

    Part 1 – Everyone Likes My Hair.

    It’s been nearly 15 years since I chopped my long hair into the now normal shortie way that I wear it now. Fifteen years as of sortof the end of August coming up. Facebook will remind me of the exact date when it happens.

    Not a terribly grand thing to celebrate but I remember it. Also it came up in conversation lately where I don’t remember the exact context but there was a comment on my hair being short, and my response was “Well it’s been like this for a decade so I’m used to it now. More than a decade! A decade and a half!”

    Speaking of comments on my hair, there’s been an evolution on the compliments I get. Thus:

    1. At first I got a lot of compliments about how good it looked from people who knew me with long hair: the immediate drama of the Great Chop. So anyone who knew me at the time, or anyone who I knew ever. How Bold!
    2. Following this, is compliments from friends and acquaintances who never knew me with long hair, commenting on how my hair well suits me. Nice.
    3. I also get compliments from complete strangers, or semi-strangers. E.g. the woman who lives in my building who I see walking around the neighbourhood all the time who never smiles at me or makes eye contact but occasionally has a great hat. I held the side door of our building for her the other day and she commented on my hair. “It’s very low maintenance!” I exclaimed, happy for the interaction. But she had nothing else to say after that, even though we had a whole set of stars to walk up together.

    Part 2 – Another Anecdote Related to my Hair.

    My stylist (not the Original Chopper, but a new one) cuts my hair so fast but we manage to have a good catch-up chat anyway by talking really fast. I almost forgot to remind her about my dance recital after my last cut, but I turned back just before leaving the salon and told her how to get tickets. She was able to attend and found me after the show with a bar of vegan chocolate. (Cute context: She’d offered me a choco-treat during my cut but I had to decline due to dairy and she was all “OH NO! No chocolate??!” but I was like “VEGAN CHOCOLATE!” and she was consoled and promised me some next time.)

    Lindsie With Long Hair Circa June 2008

  • July 2, 2025.

    “Meeting Art, June 25 2025” – pencil on printer paper – private collection

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  • Ketchican

    Today is the day that our disembarkation information was left at our door. This is where we have to decide what colour tag we want to get for our bags that say what time we leave the ship on Wednesday. Mum is sad but immediately made our return plan. This is a one-up improvement on previous trips when we pick the latest possible time and just catch whatever ferry we get after that. Let’s see what happens this time, because we got home that way, too.

    Today was Ketchican day, and we got off and looked around a bit. Was this the housewares/curio/tourist store we were looking for? Maybe. We definitely remember going to this one store right of the pier that’s actually a tourist shop, but has a good section of snacks/tools/travel supplies too. We bought twizzlers.

    We went to the Ketchican Historical museum and learned about old-time fishing, and then also new time fishing, too! We went and watched some salmon making their way up the creek in the middle of town, on their way to spawn (and some that had clearly already spawned, floating back down.) We took a turn along Creek Street and it’s little shops of (mostly?) local merchants. And that was it. Then home for a nap!

    Tomorrow is the last day on the boat and we have a plan. Correction. We had a plan, and we just noticed that we have to add “packing” to the list as well. (“Noooooooooooooo….” says Mum. “Maybe they’ll just let us stay…”)

    P.S. I took a risk and had a lovely drink that included whiskey this evening with dinner. It’s a risk because as with the wine –> motion sick on a previous day, only whiskey is probably worse. But again, we’re only moving at night today, so the motion sickness might not be too noticeable. Mind you we are moving all day tomorrow to, so I might have made a big mistake. On the other hand, it was really tasty and I felt like a grown-up whilst drinking it from a sturdy ice-filled tumbler glass. There was lemon and honey and ginger init, too. Yum.

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  • Glacier Bay Day

    There are many light switches in our room. Me and Mum both have a set by the top of our beds that, when leaned upon lightly, switch on and off. For example, when we sit up to lounge against our pillows while drinking our tea, one or the other sets of lights flicker on. Or off and then on again. And then the other set. And then one or the other of up moves again and it goes completely dark. It is only solve-able by carefully not sitting right in front of them. Mum just not leaned over to pick up her coffee and it went dark; leaned back and now it’s light. Now she’s controlling them by moving her head slightly. And now it’s dark again. We’re having fun.

    Glacier Bay Day started with a morning in the spa getting various massages and facials for both of us. Very relaxing. I recommend a massage while on holiday, especially on a cruise. No where else will you finish a massage, and be completely relaxed, and then have absolutely nothing to do for the rest of the day.

    After massages was some time outside on deck looking at glaciers and nature. I’ve learned how to use binoculars. I’ve also learned that I don’t like using binoculars because my view is too wiggly and I’m already prone to motion sickness. Note: a very calm day – just a little rocking around lunch time and I’ve been fine all day. It helps to have been inside a sheltered bay for most of the day, and not in the middle of, for example, the open Pacific (which doesn’t happen on this cruise).

    For lunch and dinner in the dining room, we get the option of sitting at a shared table with strangers if we wish. I usually don’t wish, because strangers, and Mum lets me decide. For some reason I agreed to it yesterday or the day before at breakfast and it wasn’t too bad. So I agreed to it at breakfast again today, and we were sat with 2 sisters, one of whom has just turned 80. They bickered and made fun of one another that was most amusing and reminded me of me and my sister during most of our interactions. I texted Bonnie after to remind her that one day we must take a cruise together one day, too. With Mum! Or else what even is the point of going.

    Now we are drinking after-dinner tea/coffee, and flickering the lights on and off. We’ll go watch a dude singing John Denver songs in a bit in the big theatre. I’ve promised to have a nap during the show. Mum has promised not to and is having a coffee in anticipation of this.

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  • Skagway Day

    There was definitely the hardware/general merchandise store here that I was thinking of. However, it was not the one that Mum wanted: i.e. the one that had the same salt and pepper shakers of hers that she saw last time. Our last hope for this is Ketchikan on Monday. The suspense.

    We took a train ride through the White Pass this morning. Gorgeous mountain views. Waterfalls. Fog. Much steepness. Also rainy and cold! We had to visit the hot-tub on our return to the boat. Also there are lots of charming old buildings here from the gold-rush era that are now full of souvenir stores. We bought no souvenirs but did find the museum about local history (e.g. the gold rush and how people traversed the White Pass on foot to get to the gold. Or the promise of gold. There was no gold left when they got there.)

    After lunch was, you guessed it, West Wing time and naps. And candy. Then supper where I had a lovely vegan choco pudding for dessert.

    We’ve just gotten back from sampling most of the entertainers on the ship: a guitarist, the dance show on the main stage, and then a pianist singing folk songs.

    Tomorrow is Glacier Bay day, and also the spa. Good night!

    Waterfall on the way up.
    View from the train: the border from Canada back into Alaska. The White Pass was the route taken (one of the available routes) from Skagway into the gold fields in the Yukon, so the train ends up in Northern BC.
    Pretty view from the train.

    P.S. Before bed, and also at afternoon rest time, Mum’s been filling up a cup with chewy gummy candies from a secret stash. She’s tired tonight so I had to fill it up myself. It’s not the same.

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  • Juneau Day

    Juneau Day!

    It started with breakfast and then a swim because we had time before docking in Juneau at 1:30 this afternoon. I say “swim” but I should say hot-tub, because that was the priority. Then a bit of a swim just because there’s a pool there, then hot-tub again. Note: there’s a dolphin statue in the pool.

    Then morning naps. Yes. Morning naps. Glorious. Mum missed one episode of West Wing, and then I missed the next. Then lunch, then a couple more episodes. We were almost done the second when the announcement came saying we were allowed off the boat, and we decided to just finish it off before going. You know. To skip the immediate rush of people piling of the boat straight away.

    We looked at 2 museums in our time off the boat. The last time we were in Juneau it was the 4th of July and so the museums weren’t open, so we had to make up for that. In exchange, this time we didn’t trek all the way up the hill to the top of the town for the view like we did last time. But last time there was nothing else to do. And this time it was rainy so the view wouldn’t have been as splendid.

    We saw the Alaskan State Museum first, which took us back in time to the indigenous villages and explored their way of life, through Russian, American, British colonizers, through to being a state, and what’s up now. Lots of great artifacts. My fave are the indigenous weaving and crafts, of course, but I also have never given any thought to Russian colonizers so that’s interesting. Also! Alaskan involvement in WW2! Also! The first tourists to visit were in the 1880s, coming to look at glaciers and gold miners.

    The next museum was focused on Juneau itself. No Russians, but lots of gold.

    Tomorrow is Skagway, and we’re taking the train through the White Pass. And then shopping.

    I had a beautiful Malbec with dinner tonight, which may have been a mistake since wine makes motion-sickness worse. But! We’re only moving overnight tonight and landing at 6:30am tomorrow, so likely I will be asleep for most of it; the waters aren’t rough here; we’re not moving all day tomorrow. So I’ll see how it goes.

    P.S. Mum now thinks that the hardware store we’re looking for is actually on the boardwalk by the pier in Ketchikan. Ketchikan. It wasn’t in Juneau. We did find an all-purpose hardware/homegoods/hobby/toy store that was most enjoyable. I purchased a power bar for our room, as we found we only have one power outlet and four (4!) electronics that need to be charged.

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  • In Which I am At Sea

    Big day. Busy day. At present (after supper on Thurs) I am indisposed with motion sickness and so am not attending the evening dance performance. It’s ok! I’ve seen the same show on a previous trip.

    We had mannie/peddies first thing. A relief to get that over with! Phew. Hard work.

    Then a lecture about where we’re going in Alaska and shore excursions.

    Then Mum popped off to learn how to use binoculars, flower arranging and how to take nice photos (that’s three separate classes). She also brought new binoculars!

    During this interval, I took the time to start reading a book.

    Then lunch!

    Then we rested/napped all afternoon while watching Westwings! There was also candy.

    Busy day. Big day.

    Tomorrow is Juneau, and we plan to wander about looking at museums. Mum is studying the map right now. We’ll also be looking for Sun chips? And if there’s an old-timey small town all-purpose hardware store we’re for sure going in there. Mum and I can both picture one that she says for sure is in Juneau, but I say is in Skagway. Who will be right!!??

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