Saturday, April 7, 2007

Two Steps Forward

As a child, I lived by the Hope Slough which was fed by the Fraser River. This boggy marsh was play home to many a child, and an escape for masses of teenagers. From one end to the other and on both sides, century old Willow Trees stood rostrum along the banks and I would swing from the long leaves and tease the catskins with my cheeks. I could run through and toss the leaves for hours alone. I would walk the banks of the slough and follow the minnows but now and then, touching its water gave feeling to the “Slough of Despond”. But there the Willows swayed, talking to me with the wisdom of their age. In the park off the path from the slough, I would climb the large trees and sit in their crooks and dream the day away; dreaming of the future, forgetting the present. Sometimes though, the dominant images of unpleasant absolution would take hold. These images my mind still creates.

I remember Joanne Pederson, though I never knew her personally. In 1983, Joanna was 10 years old. She was my age. Her mother would not open the door when she came home and so Joanne knocked and knocked, so proclaimed a neighbour to the Pederson Family. Crying, she walked down to the ‘Penny Pincher’ Convenience store to use the phone. The man behind the counter wouldn’t let her use his phone to call her mom to open the door - forcing her to make the call out at the payphone. According to the Cold Case files for the RCMP in Chilliwack, ‘An unidentified male was seen with her in the phone booth. He was described as being a Caucasian male, approximately twenty ( 20 ) to thirty ( 30 ) years old, 5'6" to 5'7" in height, slim to medium build, light to dark hair ( that was below the ears ), clean shaven and wearing a dark jacket.’ Attempts to locate Joanne have been unsuccessful. Joanne’s was the first child abduction case I had ever heard of. My self security was broken into and doubt of the human condition entered my core, though I would never have been able to elucidate these sentiments as a child.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Spring Has Sprung

Spent the evening with Spring cleanup...

Just a small amount of things. It's not time to go hard yet. It's more of a tidy up before the next snowfall or rain. No, snowfall.

For some reason or another (I'm sure it's scientific as it's nature related), the entire front yard (the 15'x15' that it is) was covered in mud. All the grass was trapped underneath this terrible heavy blanket of mud. I raked it up. I didn't think it would be mucky as it was; I was hoping it had dried out some in the sun today, but it tricked me. At least the lawn is breathing now and it struck in me some fantas-mic energy.

The bulbs are budding under the tree in the front, and the back of the house. All the shrubs and bushes. The one's on the Aspen in the front, look like catskins from a willow. They are beautiful.
The strawberries are already starting (lots of green in the backyard) and (crossed fingers) the backyard lawn looks great. Really held up under the winter this year.

Picked up garbage from the greenspace behind the house, the yard, along the fence, and the neighbours yard (the nice older couple)

I feel good and I think I just might sleep well tonight.

I can't believe I'm done with winter.

I love spring :)

Friday, March 9, 2007

Un-waking

Have you even woken up so sudden, so immediate; eye burst, sit up, awake? Blood rushing through your body through such intensity, you almost feel that instead of sweat, you are bleeding from your pours?

This morning upon awaking, I has this sudden rush, save for one change. My eyes would not open. Dream state paralysis?

This part alone was more frightening than what made me wake in the rush. I laid back down, hitting my pillow with such vigour and I could hear my alarm and I could hear my dog's tags shake feverishly, but my eyes were unwillingly shut. To make matters worse, my body felt as if it were shutting down. I could not move my arm, or turn over; I could not open my mouth.

I could not scream.

When the panic faded, the dream subsided.

I'm not fully convinced it was a dream.