A pot of tea

A list of things I did today after I woke up:

- made a pot of tea
- emptied dishwasher; loaded dishwasher
- hung a load of laundry on the line; ran another load in the washing machine
- sent off a group email re: letter of support for the people of Kitchenuhmaykoosib (Big Trout Lake)
- ran to the Canada Games Complex with a backpack stuffed with workout shoes, cds, scissors, comb, cape, blow dryer, camera
- noticed a pike-image in a frozen ice puddle in a back lane behind Winnipeg Avenue. (it was -7 c this morning). Checked my watch to see if I had time to stop and take a photo of this pikish ice that looked so much like the pike painting that Sinclair painted. Sinclair, who was incredulous to find out that people hate pike ... that is, some people, not First Nations.

this is a stained glass window on an old storefront on Cumberland Street. I believe it is a salmon or a trout.

"I've never heard that before," Sinclair said. "We love pike. Pike is an honorable fish."

"Yes, I can see that from your painting. It's beautiful. I've never seen such an outstanding painting of a pike before," I said. "Your reverence is clear...Unfortunately, some people think pike is garbage. They only want pickerel." I thought of the time Iris and I caught that huge slimy pike in Hilly Lake, Kenora, when we were out in the pedal boat, skirting around the weeds. We hadn't meant to really catch a fish. Now, I keep thinking of Sinclair's pike painting. It's my pike coming back to bite me....I'm going to have to try and find Sinclair...
-got ready to photo the pike-ice--only to find my camera battery died just then.
-taught a 9:10 a.m. group fitness class
-walked to Aino's. She's just returned from LoRi-dah [Florida]. Cut Aino's hair

this is my favorite photo of Aino. This photo is from La Kalevala

Inkeri telephoned Aino, to ask if I would cut her hair, too. I said, ok. The ladies have a telephone tree. Aino said Eila is waiting for me to perm her hair soon, too. She told me a story about Matti's pants.
Then, I cut Inkeri's hair. She told me a story about her son the air pilot. About how he can see from way up high the damaged lakes he flies over. She said he said you can see from the colours of the lake where the damage is.
-walked to Alli's. Cut Alli's hair. As usual, after doing her hair, I sat with her and she spread out a kahvipoyta for me. [table of coffee and tasty eatings]. She always serves coffee in small, exquisite Finnish coffee cups. Never mugs. Marimekko yellow floral napkins tucked into the ear of the cup. A plate of piirakka with suolakala on top. [piirakka is a rye dough pastry, looks like a moccasin, stuffed with rice or potato. Suolakala is salmon, raw but salted. served with a sprinkle of onion atop] Leilan tekema pulla. Liha piirakoita. Lisaa kahvia. Oh, meinasin antaa...

[ her daughter-in-law's homemade sweet bread. Meat pastries. More coffee. Oh, and I meant to give you...]

Where am I going to fit this pulla braid in my packsack? I wondered. I stuffed it along the edge, careful not to place it too close to my damp, sweaty workout gear...

-walked home.
- bumped into Sirkka by Hillcrest Park. She told me "ma olin A Peace"..."I was at A & P." I asked her about her sons. And how her sister, Helmi, is doing. And Helmi's husband, Pentti's MS? How is it now? I asked.
- arrived home at 3 pm. opened my computer and set to work. now I'm really behind...
- brought the laundry in; hung another load on the line
- marked papers
- ate the supper my husband made: brown basmati rice, pinto beans with meat, salad with arugula; ate some perogies my daughter prepared
- replied to emails
- had chai tea and pulla with lingonberry jam with my daughter
- time for a shower..... I need to finish the marking......
- thought about the Hidden from History report, and the LPH [Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital] as a site to be investigated for unexplained deaths