Moody Month of May

I am sitting here listening to the new Alejandro Escovedo album, "The Boxing Mirror," and blissing and at the same time reminiscing on the month that has been an up and down one for me. It has been kind of a transition time, highs and lows, laughs and a few weepy moments. That's very strange coming from me, Miss Smily Smile. Dont know quite what to pin it on, but will be glad when May turns into June, that's for sure. Who ever said May was merry?

Lots of cool things happened this past month. Tim is in a marimba band called Chikoro and the ensemble spent two weeks creating a new recording in a new studio in town. Matt James runs it and things went really well for them there.

I got to feel Pat's baby squirm in her belly. The baby comes in June and we can't wait. Impending grandparenthood fills us with JOY. Tim and Pat moved into a new larger apartment and the baby room is shaping up nicely. There have been a couple fun baby showers and the clothing, bedding and bath items have been wonderful.

Tim and I saw Joel Plaskett and Matt Barber one night, it was a great rock 'n' roll show. I got Bright Eyes tickets for early June and Tim and I lucked out with second row seats.

MySpace has given me a wealth of new friends and internet connections. I love the one-on-one stuff and it continues to flourish. I have received the kindest most supportive words from friends, especially this month, and it makes me very happy.

We have never seen a more lush spring. Everything is the greenest green and the flowers and blossoms have been amazing.

The street markets have returned and so have the harbour and Government Street buskers. We have pianists, accordianists, fiddlers, banjo-players, guitarists, hammered dulcimer, sax, marimba bands, steel drums, percussionists, didgeridoos, opera singers, jugglers, acts with flames, Yo Yo Man, unicyclists, painted people and mimes. The inner harbour walkway is full of native crafts and local art. The tourists are in abundance. The cruise ships are back. Victoria looks and feels thriving.

Business is booming. Buildings are rising, new businesses like Mountain Co-Op are opening. Downtown is exciting to visit anytime. Always lots going on.

I have been buying lots of music lately and it's all been wonderful. Neal Casal "No Wish To Reminisce," Ron Sexsmith "Time Being" and Rocky Votolato "Makers" are really cool.

Mother's Day was nice. I went to the annual Hatley Park Art Day with its beautiful gardens and also to Sunday Market downtown. The weather was warm, sunny and blue-skied. It couldn't have been any better.

Tim went up-island this week to Cowichan Bay to take part as an extra in a Kim Basinger movie. It is called "The Mermaid Chair" and Tim plays trumpet in the marching band who follow behind some monks. The film is about a married woman who falls in love with a Benedictine Monk. It airs in September on Lifetime Cable TV.

Swiftsure is on this weekend and our harbour looked awesome filled with over two hundred sailboats Friday. This morning, five different categories of races took off ten minutes apart, on Dallas Waterfront. The sailboats come back starting tonight and through tomorrow depending on the size of the vessel and length of their particular race.

These have been the highlights of this month.

Some of the lowlights were things like Tim's not being a member of his marimba band Mufaro anymore. That's a bummer.

The world watched an incredible webcam placed in a nest as two eagles on Hornby Island awaited their offspring, taking turns warming the two eggs. We watched several weeks. Eventually we learned the sixteen year old female was beyond her bearing years and the eggs were not going to hatch.

Some dog attacked Cal in the park the other day and I did a headspring while still hanging onto the dog's leash. He is fine but sore and I took a warm bath and pills because I felt pretty achey for a day or two.

The spring's lushness has given many of us our worst allergy season ever. I feel like I have a permanent cold, sore throat and weepy eyes. It has been wet then very dry and windy and the Cairn is brown-grassed already. The dangerous Spear Grass is ready to wreak havoc with our dogs early this year.

Downtown is seeing a lot of police action. Arrests, shakedowns, clean-ups. The bad, the poor and the homeless are being dealt with. At the same time, due to a lovely climate year round, more folks without homes are coming to live here every day. It's quite a problem.

May has been an inbetween time, a confusing time for me. I have had moments of disconnectedness and letting go and times of communing and new beginnings. Happy, sad, hopeful. Tony has had a tough month also, but his has been work-related.

June is coming. We will soon have a wonderful grandchild to hold. Sounds mighty fine to us.

EnJOY your June and summer.

Love, Allison