I’ll call today’s journal the Great Canadian Guilt Trip. And I think I might have been on it the past month or so. Here’s what I mean: I realize, thanks to stats from my journal website that deal with times that it is read and listened to, that a majority of the people who come here every week are visiting from the eastern time zones.
 
That makes sense. That’s where we used to share mornings for so many years. In fact, in the past few days, I’ve been wading through that sea of emails I told you had been forwarded to me from work when my Rogers account officially shut down, and in the responses I’ve sent, I’ve included reminders that I do a journal, as well as post at Twitter, on Facebook and occasionally on Instagram, too. So there’s some reconnecting going on, and I am grateful!
 
But here’s the thing. If it wasn’t for weather, what would Canadians talk about, right? (Of course, right now we have the Leafs, the Raptors, the Jays and TFC, but the weather trumps all, right?) Trust me, I experienced first-hand just how brutal the weather in Southern Ontario has been, right into April, during our visit: from harsh winds that made our landing very tricky, to sideways snow while we were signing out our rental car, and freezing rain and downed lines that made turning in that car again 12 days later equally precarious.
 
All in all, it wasn’t a trip we made for the weather – obviously – and although we’re expecting a few more trips in non-peak weather months, we remind ourselves that we’re travelling for three reasons: family – especially Colin, Phil and Brooke – friends and work. No doubt about it! Imagine when a book tour brings us to Ontario in February of next year; that’s going to be a challenge. But at least it’ll be nasty weather that we expect and mentally prepare for. This time we had some crazy notions of blossoms and springtime – you know, being APRIL and all – and although we did bring our winter gear, it didn’t make that weather any easier to digest.
 
But today it’s supposed to be sunny and 18 in Ottawa. Partly sunny and perhaps 15 in Toronto. And here where we live, near Victoria International Airport, we’re settling in for a gorgeous sunny and 17 today, with sunshine and 21 by Wednesday. The bicycles are coming out, the sunscreen will be in full force and we’re ready to embrace spring with the same enthusiasm that so much of the country is doing today as well.
 
And now, with LESS GUILT! I have been so careful not to post pictures of the blossoms that have come out and dropped since January….
 

 

 
…or the magnolia buds that hang on trees like some fuschia-coloured Christmas ornaments in early April…
 

 
….or the deer that nestled peacefully beneath a cherry blossom tree in the midst of fallen petals this week. 
 

 
Do you know how much it has killed me not to share those with you? But, I get it, your responses (some of them probably not family friendly) might have hurt just a little bit more. I tested the waters via Instagram and got what I deserved. After all, I remember the February pics my auntie, who lives near us now, would post of flowers and how it would make us green with anger – er, I mean envy. 😉 But it’s hard for us not to share the beauty, with the best intentions.
 
Let us all be on this same, green and sun-splashed page from here on in until you start telling me of the colours of autumn. Here’s to spring – let ‘er fling – and thank you for letting me share, at long last, a little of the beauty of this island and spot we call home, in this gorgeous nation of Canada. Tomorrow: it turned out those two suitcases packed a lot of emotions.