Looking Down in London

Water

I would have imagined that Rebecca and I would actually have seen more of each other than we have.

But when I got the Tripit note in my email I could see why we aren’t having much conversation.

Right now she is in Calgary, booked to fly to London, then cruise to the Mediterranean, then fly to Yellowknife, then come back to London, fly from here, on to Victoria and then wait a month before flying to Australia – doing all of this before the end of August.

BT

There is something upside down going on when I am at her house in London, and she is at my house in Calgary.

This wasn’t in the plan at all.

At this point, it feels perfectly natural.

DAW

When we are in the same room, which I am trying to say is not often, small pieces of conversation pass between us.

Like when she looked out of front room window here and said, “Come and see this Arta.  Amazing, isn’t it.”

Post Office - Telephones

She was looking at workmen who were lifting up a grate at the front of our house and then doing work with the wires underneath of it.

Electricity Supply

“Amazing that they don’t need to dig up the sidewalk – just lift a grate and do the work then need to that is underneath that grate.The rest of the time we walk on it.”

Telegraph

We watched for a while and then went back to trying to stay on top of what is going on at work and home – and like others before us, sometimes the task seems more than two women can manage.

 But the idea of looking down at the grates stayed with me.

FH

So the last time I was out taking a walk, I decided to keep a record of what I was walking over.

Always my camera is pointed at the sky, or the water or the flowers.

This day it was just metal.

Heavy metal.

Gas

It is possible to get lost on the route I take. And having been lost already, I was going back this direction to better map the territory I plan to keep walking in.

But if my head is ducked down, with my eyes only on the pavement, it is possible to lose track of the small arrow hidden behind huge willows that marks the way off of Holden Road and onto Dollis Valley Greenwalk.

CATV

I don’t feel afraid.

If I get lost I can just roll through the pictures for someone and say, “This is where I have been. Can you tell me how to get back.”

This is only going to work with someone else who also knows the shapes and writing on the grates in the sidewalk.

Arta