It was a very long Friday...

[fajrdrako]

First of all, I had to walk to work: something I used to do routinely. But not necessarily on a snowy day. Now I haven't done it for a year; last winter was difficult because there was so much snow, and then I broke my ankle. I walked home, once, with duncanmac. I'm in much better shape now than I was then.

But maybe not quite in good enough shape to walk all the way to work on a snowy day.

Doesn't matter: I had to get there. So I left myself an hour and a half, and got up early. The first three-quarters of the walk were pleasant. The last quarter - somewhere around Somerset St. E. - I got exhausted. Each step was an effort. "Am I there yet? Almost there, almost there." And then suddenly I was there, twenty minutes early. Go me.

While walking, I was listing to the audiobook version of The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett on my iPod. There I was, struggling to walk through the snows of Ottawa, and there were Carrot and Gaspode, struggling through the snows of Ubervald... Does life have to imitate art quite that closely?

There was a nice moment when I was crossing Main Street about six feet behind another woman, and there were high snowbanks to climb over at each curb. The woman turned around and waited for me, to offer me help in climbing over the snowbank. I guess I looked pretty pathetic, clutching my cane as I walked. I didn't need her help. But it was so nice of her to offer - kindness and gallantry from a stranger - I was truly touched. I love it when people try to help each other.

Funny thing: with all the exertion of getting around in this snow on foot, I've been exhausted a lot of the time, with a tired back and hips and legs, but The Foot hasn't hurt at all. Hasn't even swelled up. The moral of the story? I suppose it's that exercise is good..

Gord drove me home, and the traffic wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday, when we got entangled in traffic overflowing from the City Hall area, where the bus drivers are picketing.

Then (after a nap) I went to buy groceries with maaseru and got a slow cooker that's larger than the one I have now (5 quarts compared to 1 quart), which was on sale, and tax-free - Loblaw's, by luck, was having a tax-free evening. Also got a liquid measuring cup, since my old one sprang a leak in the bottom. Also got a fridge-full of groceries, taking advantage of maaseru's car. I'd run out of vegetables almost entirely, except for one potato.

Time for an early night.

Got a phone call from Sandi this evening with possible good news: the bus strike may be ending. I will rejoice.

Comments

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a mighty adventure!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It certainly was!

The bus strike is still going strong, though.

Grump.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Hoping it's true, because all the back and forth on octranspo gets on the nerves a bit.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

*Groan* I'll believe it when I see it.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, if one of tonight's posts there was anything to go by, we may have a perfect storm of alpha-male wannabes having a go at each other and not in a good way. I think we're going to have to make our case to City Council and the ATU Local's rank and file membership directly on this.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

we may have a perfect storm of alpha-male wannabes having a go at each other and not in a good way

Groan. That sounds in character. So annoying, and unnecessary.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Bless Gord's heart, and bless the stranger in the snow!

I can get all academic on you now and mention that there have been fascinating studies done that indicate that people get an emotional lift out of helping someone else in such anonymous situations (where there is little likelihood that further interaction will have to take place, so neither party has to spend mental energy trying to calculate the corresponding "return" favor)... but I won't! It just feels good to be able to help someone when you see they might need it. Don't you think?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Of course it feels good.

And when there's a sense of emergency, most people do get into 'help-out' mode.

Friends are good at helping, too, in less anonymous, less emergency-full situations. Some friends more than others, depending on temperament and resources.