A room with a View

A Room with a View

 

We’ve moved many times and done many renovations in the last two decades since we ‘ve been married.  The shortest and one of the most difficult moves was when we moved diagonally across the street to our present house.  Our objective, or at least one of them was to give my mother-in-law a home and move her from her present one on Vancouver Island.  We went out to the island helped her sell her house, pack her things and got her as far as Edmonton where upon deep reflection, acute anxiety and coaching from outside sources she changed her mind.  We kept the house because the deal had gone through.

I love that house it’s located on a ridge between two parallel streets and it has a half-acre wooded lot with many lovely gardens we have created with much “blood sweat and tears” over the years.  Being on a hill we have an excellent view of our neighbourhood, or the kingdom as I prefer to call it.  From the top of the hill in the back yard I can sit in our pergola and actually look out over our house roof to the world beyond and relax and dream, that is before the leaves grow in to ruin the view and the mosquitos take over before I have to surrender my territory.  From my perch I have an expansive view of our street, see the people walking their dogs and their kids.  I see the fast walkers, joggers and runners.  One girl even does laps of the block walking backwards.  The height and perspective definitively give a sense of power, control and perspective.  I love to observe.

From inside the house, on most days, during mosquito season, and during the winter months I can sit at the kitchen island and look out from on high and view the wild life that passes, the squirrels that annoy and feed on the bird seed I leave for the cardinals, chickadees and all those who are deserving of the seed.  There is the occasional fox, coyote, many chipmunks, who are also adept at stealing bird seed, there are the racoons who come at night, so hardly count.  There are also several feral cats that make our yard part of their route as they hunt birds, mice and voles.  Early morning, I can be found at my stool at the island looking out and looking down in a trance like state at whatever moves sipping my morning coffee as if in a coma.

I have had some more unique and unusual sightings as well, other than the morning I found a fox sleeping at my front door. Late at night, or early morning while quietly, in a meditative state, drinking herbal tea, I especially revel in the spectacular view of the northern lights dancing in green splendor across the night sky, which at first, I found to be very odd considering Waterloo is located at about 43 degrees north latitude and the northern lights are typically much further north, like in Alaska or Siberia.

The lights reminded me of my time spent in Northern Alberta travelling the ice roads and working with the Cree and Dene. However, when I shared my observations with some neighbors there was no collaboration and confirmation only odd stares and silence so, naturally, when several months later, also about three in the morning, I saw the herd of migratory buffalo come through on my street I said absolutely nothing.  I didn’t even post any of the pictures or video clips I had taken to document the event to social media.  I sensed the high level of doubt and skepticism and proceeded to keep a low profile about my observations and encounters.   

Having seen the buffalo, or is it bison?  I was certain there would be more sightings of something in the near future.  I wasn’t wrong. The night the Cessna made the emergency landing on my street, I guess after the buffalo/bison incident, I was no longer totally surprised.  I went out and chatted with the pilot for a few minutes and helped him fuel up with some high octane I had stored in my garage even though it was not 100 avgas he didn’t seem to be picky and take off, other then snagging, a few branches from the crab apple trees in the median, was routine.  Its not like you see a plane land on your street every night and it was actually another five months until the Twin Otter made a similar emergency landing.  Really for a quiet street that leads nowhere I was getting more action than expected.  What are the odds of two landings in a few months?  Go figure!

Sitting at my kitchen island early mornings, late evenings, took on a new air of anticipation as I never knew what to expect next.  I still have no idea why the Tour de France cyclists came through when they did.  First, the support vans and police car, with flashing lights, came through followed next by a few of the lead riders.   The pack came about a minute latter followed by several of the stragglers over the next several minutes.  I had seen a similar world cup event the previous summer in Glasgow, Scotland and other than the choice of location on my street actually knew what to expect. It’s an exciting event.  

The next morning other than a few water bottles strewn about there was no real evidence that there had even been a race and as I searched, no mention of it in the media.  As per usual I kept my mouth shut on the topic. 

I never understood why any of these activities ever woke the neighbours, especially the night the formula cars roared through.  There must have been at least twenty high revving cars, but since our street is short and as I said leads to no where the cars were moving relatively slowly.  Why they had to set up the formula pit in front of my garden always baffled me, but it was amazing the precision with which they could change a set of tires, fuel a car, check the engine vitals and send it off down my street at high acceleration.  I was in awe and spilt my ginger peach tea as I rushed to the window to get a better view.  In the morning, as with the Tour de France, I had some minor clean up, raked the garden over and put kitty litter over a few minor oil spills.  All and all not bad.

My soon to be son-in-law recently had me listen to a pod cast about extra-terrestrials who have landed and been documented in Arizona. It seemed very far-fetched to me at the time, but after what I have seen on my own street before my very own eyes, and since he seems to really believe this stuff, I promised him I would give an honest listen to the rest of the pod cast. And I will as I value his good will.

 Perhaps during the listening of it I could slip in something about Northern Light, buffalo herds, emergency airplane landings, Tour de France and Formula races on my street, although I doubt if I have any credibility. I have secrets I must live with, but in the mean time I have never enjoyed my after mid-night herbal teas and my well positioned kitchen window so much.  If we ever sell our house, I can market it as a house having a room with a view.

I may not wish to ever sell because I have to say the circus parade that went through last night was nothing short of amazing, cleaning up after the elephants not so much.