Cleaning up and finding

After a church retirement farewell for a priest friend I went looking for some reminiscences of him. I did not find them but I found some other stuff that I had forgotten about.

I finally threw away my HTML and web pages books. Now it is so simple to use a blog or other templates for web pages.

I also threw away some old house maintenance manuals and files. I have what I need and it is all organized.

What I did find was some old diaries. I knew I had certain ones from when I was at school and university. I also found one that I wrote and did not remember having about my first months in Ottawa in 1974. It makes for very interesting reading.

What was important to me then and much still continues to be - except for work which is done.

How I fitted in with people in church communities and who mattered to me. A friend who was a good support got mentioned often. Other people in Ottawa and in Toronto whom I were missing a lot got mentioned often. This is what was happening for me then.

Just yesterday I received in my email a newsletter from the church I attended there. It has been many years since I have been in that part of Toronto.

I was concerned about horse activities and having Charisma here in Ottawa. She was in foal in 1974 and I did not bring her here until the year after. She then spent 20 years at Greenbelt Riding School.

St. Thomas’ Huron Street Toronto Ontario (a.k.a. Smoky Toms’)

I was reading “Household of God: a parish history of St. Thomas's Church, Toronto”. I borrowed the book on interlibrary loan from the Ottawa Public Library. I found it interesting that the copy I had was from the Toronto Public Library.

This is the church I attended for two years when I was studying at the University of Toronto just around the corner from the church.

The book was very long and there were lots of details about people and liturgies and music etc. I most interested in the people stories - especially names that I recognized.

It is a very high Anglican church and there are many bells and smells with all the incense used - hence the name Smoky Toms’. The list of weekly services is very impressive.

I was interested in reading about the long association of the parish with SSJD. This is where I was first introduced to the sisters.

I was also interested in reading about Fr. Bull who was rector there when I was there.

One quote said that he was always younger than his years (he was born in 1917 like my dad). He was a mystic and deeply in touch with the spiritual. He had to leave St. Thomas and its many demands because of his health. In later years he was said to be a sensitive and prayerful spiritual director. I could easily see that in him. He died some years ago.

One of the groups that came to matter to me was the one that met on a Friday evening. “On Friday evenings an experimental liturgy, based initially on that of New Zealand, offered the opportunity for an intimate sense of community and individual expression. Many were enriched by the personal encounters this afforded.” (page 85)

　
　
　
　

Driving to Toronto: the real deal

I had checked a list of the service centres that were open before I left so I knew what to expect.

One was closing the day I passed by.

I had to make a stop in a small town as an alternative for another that was closed.

Construction equipment was much in evidence.

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I was reading about the service stations - they will be hosted by Canadian Tire. I do not think I have ever bought any gas at one of those outlets.

So now there is a new listing of the service centres and the dates for reconstruction on the government of Ontario web site. I will keep it for future reference. I do not know when I will be driving that way again.

Driving to Toronto

Here I go again next Wednesday for an Easter visit to the convent. It seems like such a short time since I was last there.

I had my winter tires on for my last trip on October 31 - Halloween. I still have them on now - but not for much longer.

It is not too long a trip to the convent - 4 to 5 hours. I like to drive in the morning. Driving home and coming east into the bright sun is sometimes an issue but then again sometimes it is not so sunny. I have driven in all weathers - sun and heat and snow and rain and just plain nice. I always hope for the latter.

Another essential move is to study the status of the service centres along the 401 Highway. They are all being renovated. It is somewhat confusing as to what is being done when. I made myself a little list after checking the Government of Ontario Ministry of Transportation website. In the fall of 2011 they will be all updated.

I do not mind this drive too much. I know that I need to stop from time to time - about 1 ½ hours driving is good for me. Getting closer to the big city of Toronto I need to be prepared. I can drive in the express lanes of the 401 until closer to my destination.

My trusty little Toyota Echo will get me there and home again without any trouble.