weathering the storm
Kind friends have been writing to ask if all is well here, after the severe flooding yesterday. It was an incredible storm, quite terrifying for a homeowner whose basement has flooded in the past. Sheets of pounding rain, deafening cracks of thunder — a month’s worth of rain in three hours, but luckily, nothing in the basement. Praise the lord for sump pumps! Friend Annie’s basement — a foot of water.
My ex is staying here this week, and we were supposed to take Anna and the boys to see a movie. Many texts and phone calls as the situation grew more dire; even one of the downtown movie theatres was flooded. Finally, they managed to make it over here on a functional bus, to hang out as the rain stopped and helicopters and sirens sounded. Went for a walk and found Riverdale Park, usually a big baseball field, was now a swimming pool. Dogs splashing joyfully in the water, people wading, the water nearly waist deep.
Anna went home and we watched a Netflix movie: Orion and the Dark, a lovely film about a boy facing his fears, written by the marvellous Charley Kaufmann. Then a huge bedtime snack, more chapters of Holes, and bed for the boys, with subsequent squeals and whispers and the pitter-patter of not so tiny feet. But eventually, peace. Grandpa meanwhile was already asleep, exhausted.
This morning, pancakes outside for breakfast as the city dries off and recovers. 
My social media feeds are all pointing out that our current government cut the budget for flood preparedness, and the paving over of so much of the city leads directly to flooding. Thanks again, Ford and his gang of idiots.
Speaking of gangs of idiots, I’m truly depressed about the U.S. What strange force is protecting one of the most evil men on earth? The spectacle of his gang of lying lying liars, sensing victory — horrifying, terrifying, nauseating. It once seemed impossible this fascist airhead, eager to destroy the world, could be re-elected, but not any more. And now has beside him another fascistic bully. And a memoir writer, to boot! How extremely sad.
Today is Ben’s ninth birthday. Grandpa and I gave him four tickets to see the Blue Jays next week. After opening his present, he said thank you but his favourite sport is not baseball now but hockey. However. I think he’ll manage to have a good time. And then he and his brother played soccer and tag and jump over the furniture and create chaos, as is their wont. Though I did request that Eli and Grandpa assemble something for me, and in minutes, they did.
The hurricane has just gone back across town with Grandpa, and I will put my house to rights before joining them. A busy week. Trying to shut out the horrors south of us and focus on what matters: family, love, kindness. Birthdays. The fact that one of my dearest old friends is visiting from his home in the land of the crazy people.
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