CANADIAN THOUGHTS AND PLANNING FOR A FUN FILLED SUMMER

May arrived with the trees budding and flowers popping up in the garden. The birds are busy singing, courting and building nests. The garden centres are busy with spring shoppers planning their "landscape masterpieces"! The long weekend-the Victoria Day weekend- is the rule of thumb about planting annuals ! The last fear of frost learned by our ancestors. There is a tradition not to wear white before that time as well! Since our warm seasons seem shorter than the long winter, plans for not only May and June but vacations in the summer months. To travel to Europe, go south, rent a cottage, go camping or a fun packed staycation. Coordinating with work colleagues about coverage and who wants what week or month. Perhaps getting the house ready for summer guests travelling from away! For busy parents-what camp-art, computer, math, physical activities, what lessons-swimming, soccer, baseball or tennis with some little ones taking golf! Painting a room, new outdoor furniture, stocking the freezer! There is always a need to plan, plan, plan! Why? The real urgency is to know what is happening so when the time arrives- the need is to relax, swim, fish, days on the boat if you have one, picnic and well-lay back and enjoy! May allows the luxury to start to research and decide what the next few months can entail. If your camp site is not booked in advance, then you could miss out! Finding the ideal cottage location or if a family has one-who goes what week can take good scheduling! Rome? Paris? London? Or a last minute- Jamaica, Mexico? A well developed garden in May and June allows for good sitting with a favourite beverage to enjoy looking at it! The hurry up and plan- go, go, go becomes the - get my favourite book or crossword with some music in the background and enjoy. Dinners on the deck!  Long walks, boat rides, car trips with no particular hurry can be the reward for all the preparation! We Canadians know how to do it right! I hear the discussion right now  happening from British Columbia to New Brunswick with some talk in Manitoba about "what do we want to do this summer"? Yes-the nice May weather gives us a chance to start to get into that mode! So how are your plans going? Do you have your travel books out? The maps or are you just a GPS user? Checking the budget? So what are your thoughts, eh?

A POSTCARD FROM BELGUIM

My folks received many postcards from friends over the years. I found this one postmarked from Belguim but is actually from the Moulin Rouge- a painting by Jean-Denis Malcles.

It was dated Feb. 5, 1999- Oostkamp, Belguim. " Dear Mae &Elli: Well here it is Feb. and we are still in Europe. Have been to many beautiful cities. Paris & Vienna being 2 of our favorites. We have spent a lot of our time in Belguim, everyone here has been so kind & generous. We have been taken is like we where family, not the 2 complete strangers that we where when we arrived on the doorstep of the cousin of Ava who is looking after the practice at home. We have seen the Louve and Mona Lisa amongest other masterpieces and Vatican City in Rome were I think God must live. So many good people, good food, good wine. We are both well as we hope this finds you. Love Linda * P.S. how was the cruise, did you see my friend the waiter?"

Don't postcards give a little snapshot of a person's life? If you want a postcard featured here, email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address so you can send me a postcard.

THE PLANES FLY OVER

Every morning starting at 6 a.m. The Red Eyes from the west- leaving Vancouver, Calgary at night arriving at Pearson Internation Airport in Toronto in the morning. I like the sound as it gives a start and a rhythm to the day. I live far enough away from the airport that it is tolerable. Planes start to fly over late afternoon again from the west. They come from the north. The planes seen in the southern sky are the ones from Europe. Sometimes I just sit outside to watch them go over my house as they make their descent to the airport. Who is in the plane? Businessmen, tourists to the area or family members arriving for an event or returning home? This time of year, vacations are planned that include plane travel for many while there are cars, buses and trains that transport people. Plane travel however makes us pack very lightly. With a car, we can throw as many items into spaces. I always take more shoes if going by car. This year I only have day trips planned. So there is the envy factor! People going on cruises, travelling to Europe or Africa. Weeks at the cottage- I do not have my own cottage but could go to someone else's I suppose! Thinking about summer brings the urge for most of us to go somewhere. But somehow a plane trip is the ultimate journey! Then there are the plane stories, the airport stories, what a flight! The pretentious stories of how we love one airline over another one! For me as long as the pilot and co-pilot know how to fly the plane and land it safely is the most important factor. Here in Canada we have Air Canada, Westjet and Porter Airlines. All fine airlines. Always hoping they survive. For many of us we remember- Canadian Pacific, Wardair and Canadian that did not remain due to financial problems. The smaller charter airlines like Nordair and others keep us moving. Do you like to fly? What places have you visited? Yes here comes another plane!