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| Bonnie and I have new gifts from Rebecca -- planners to keep track of our lives. |
I was using my cane and concentrating on using the muscles on my left hip so I could strengthen them. Bonnie was concentrating on the stability of the wheel barrow, and at the same time worrying about bear scat we had seen on the road. Bonnie said the scat looked fresh. I wanted to know how fresh, so I hovered my hand close to the first pile to feel for heat.
She said, “You can really tell?” and went to hover her hand over a second pile just up the road. I could hear Doral Pilling laughing.
David Pilling graciously accepted our wheelbarrow of gifts, and he showed us his autumn garden, telling us that next year he has new designs. For one thing, he is going to expand his hydroponic strawberries. He’s going to build a greenhouse for his tomatoes. When he said that he put his arms high in the sky to a point, so I guess it is going to be a very large greenhouse. He still has peppers on the vine, and gave us one, called “Fire Away” but he said it is not that hot.
When David Pilling answered his door, he had asked us, “Are you going for a walk?” and without pausing he said, “I’ll give you my bear spray.”
We said, “No, we are just dropping off a few things and going right back home.” He said, “Good. Because I will need my bear spray for work tomorrow.”
“Do you use bear spray?” I queried.
“Well, I carry it,” he replied, “but I haven’t had to use it yet.”
Bonnie said, “Since we only have a wheelbarrow, I had already thought through that it had room under it for one, and the other one of us would be the appetizer, that one would be Arta.”
David didn’t smile. He said, “They say your best bet is to intimidate the bear.” He went on, “Once I met a bear in the bush. I had an axe in my hand. When you meet a bear, there is an incredible surge of adrenaline that goes through your body. The options are fight, flight or freeze, but in the end, you face the reality that what happens is really up to the bear.”
Bonnie said, “Do you think we should buy some bear spray David?”
He said, “Well, it’s only $40 at Canadian Tire. You have to sign some acknowledgement. You wait for the bear to be about three feet from you, and then you spray.”
Bonnie said, “But Arta will have to make sure she doesn’t get it mixed up with her Nitro spray for her heart.”
At the same time, I was thinking, “Three feet. That’s Coronavirus distance.”
David said, I know the bear spray works. When I was really young, when we first moved out here, and all the visitors went home, me and my friends went through the cabins gathering up everything that said “flammable”, to test the canisters out. When it came to the bear spray, it shot out three feet but we went running back about twenty feet, stunned. The fumes get into your sinus and they don’t go away.”
When he said this, I wondered, it if stuns both me and the bear, will it come down to which of us decides to run and which decides to stay and fight after we both come to?
We plan to go to Canadian Tire.
You’ll have to guess what it is we are going to buy.
Arta
David Pilling graciously accepted our wheelbarrow of gifts, and he showed us his autumn garden, telling us that next year he has new designs. For one thing, he is going to expand his hydroponic strawberries. He’s going to build a greenhouse for his tomatoes. When he said that he put his arms high in the sky to a point, so I guess it is going to be a very large greenhouse. He still has peppers on the vine, and gave us one, called “Fire Away” but he said it is not that hot.
When David Pilling answered his door, he had asked us, “Are you going for a walk?” and without pausing he said, “I’ll give you my bear spray.”
We said, “No, we are just dropping off a few things and going right back home.” He said, “Good. Because I will need my bear spray for work tomorrow.”
“Do you use bear spray?” I queried.
“Well, I carry it,” he replied, “but I haven’t had to use it yet.”
Bonnie said, “Since we only have a wheelbarrow, I had already thought through that it had room under it for one, and the other one of us would be the appetizer, that one would be Arta.”
David didn’t smile. He said, “They say your best bet is to intimidate the bear.” He went on, “Once I met a bear in the bush. I had an axe in my hand. When you meet a bear, there is an incredible surge of adrenaline that goes through your body. The options are fight, flight or freeze, but in the end, you face the reality that what happens is really up to the bear.”
Bonnie said, “Do you think we should buy some bear spray David?”
He said, “Well, it’s only $40 at Canadian Tire. You have to sign some acknowledgement. You wait for the bear to be about three feet from you, and then you spray.”
Bonnie said, “But Arta will have to make sure she doesn’t get it mixed up with her Nitro spray for her heart.”
At the same time, I was thinking, “Three feet. That’s Coronavirus distance.”
David said, I know the bear spray works. When I was really young, when we first moved out here, and all the visitors went home, me and my friends went through the cabins gathering up everything that said “flammable”, to test the canisters out. When it came to the bear spray, it shot out three feet but we went running back about twenty feet, stunned. The fumes get into your sinus and they don’t go away.”
When he said this, I wondered, it if stuns both me and the bear, will it come down to which of us decides to run and which decides to stay and fight after we both come to?
We plan to go to Canadian Tire.
You’ll have to guess what it is we are going to buy.
Arta
Oh Arta - how I laughed and laughed at this post. I really don't think any bear would be practising social distancing! I also don't know if Bonnie is one to be walking with if she considers you as the 'bear appetizer' - would she fit under the wheelbarrow? Ria
ReplyDeleteBonnie told me that she was sure just one of us would fit under the wheelbarrow and she told me it would be her -- she could figure out a way to tuck and fold if a bear were close by. She told me to think about other places to go, since I would now be on my own.
ReplyDeleteThe last few times I have gone for a walk, I have forgotten to take my phone and my nitro -- 2 important aids-for-daily living. And Bonnie hasn't reminded me to take them. So for sure, she is not a capable companion if I am looking for someone to remind me when forgetfulness occurs for me. A hard call which will surely make me more independent if I value my own life.