Mile 0 - My Favourite Things in Victoria

Mile 0 - My Favourite Things in Victoria

It seems fitting that the journey of my new beginning starts in Victoria as it is mile 0, the starting point of the Trans-Canada Highway.

I have put all my things in storage and am staying at clients homes and then camping on my days off.  I have no "home".  (My friends are forbidding me to say I am homeless.). I really am at mile 0 in my life, a new starting point.

Being a couple usually means there are compromises and things that were included in my life because of the other person.  Now that I am alone I have only myself, so I can do exactly what I want.  But what do I want in my life?  What am I going to do without having to make joint decisions?

One of my favourite books, The Creative Habit is written by Twyla Thwarp, a dance choreographer.  She loves the process of creating a new dance and walking into an empty room and seeing how things evolve, much like a painter with an empty canvas or a potter with a lump of clay.

My life is exactly that a blank canvas.  But within in this canvas I am discovering what I want to include in my new life, that I have enjoyed in the past.  When my life is blank it is easy for me to feel instantly if I like something or if I don't.

This week I stayed in my new home town of Victoria.  I spent my days off at Dominique's, my daughters, instead of camping while I got all my gear together and readjusted my schedule.  It was a really great week of self discovery.  I started to put all the things I love into my empty days.

Itinerary

Harvesting Food
Berry picking at Marsh Farm in Sannich and making jam with Dominique and Xavier.
This I loved.  I love the rewarding feeling of harvesting the food I eat.  It stirs up wonderful memories of my past and my mom preserving food for us.  Going to my Aunt Mertle's garden to harvest food, my first job as a strawberry picking with my brother who was a horrible picker.  And picking peas and shelling them with my great grandma.

Royal BC Museum
I went with Dominique and Xavier to Royal BC Museum.  I purchased a seasons pass for only $62 so now I can go as many times as I want.  I love museums and history and of course spending time with Dominique and Xavier.

In the museum Xavier got excited about his new favourite sport of soccer.  He rolled up into a ball on the floor of the museum and started yelling "Grandma kick me, kick me Grandma, I'm a ball."  When I wouldn't kick him he yelled, "Mama kick me , kick me mama".  So funny!

Enjoying Art
Oak Bay has installed some sculptures in and around town.  I walked around and enjoyed some of the art.  I love art!  I love seeing the materialization of thought in people's brains.  Love it!  You can vote on your favourite sculpture and the town of Oak Bay is going to purchase the winner for public art.  This is a picture of my favourite.

Walking
I walked around Dallas Road, James Bay and downtown.  I absolutely love walking around cities: watching people, looking at window displays, absorbing the energy of a place.

Book Stores
As I walked I made stops at two of my favourite book stores in Victoria, Munro Books on Government Street and Russell Books on Fort Street.  Leaving without books in hand is a challenge but since I finished Outlander I thought I better buy the next one Dragonfly in Amber.

Hot Yoga
I went to a hot yoga class at Hudson Yoga.  I love it but couldn't believe how differently I felt since last time I was there. This time I was much less flexible and couldn't do a lot of the stretches.  Last time I was still grieving from the loss of my husband and I remembered how sad I felt.  It felt good to see the comparison of how much better I am now but also stiff.

Live Music
I love any kind of music live!  Watching people in their element and enjoying what they are doing plus entertaining me with their talent.  I was entertained at my favourite church, Christ Church Cathedral by a visiting pipe organist.  I love the feeling when the sounds vibrate through my whole body especially in this beautiful building.

Writing
I spent time writing.  I will attempt to write in my blog every week to practice my writing skills.  And putting my writing out there instead of keeping it in my journals.  As Twyla Thorp writes you have to create a habit, so I hope you don't get tired of my ventures and my writing.  As I am taking this journey solo, my writing feels like I am not alone.  Plus I am working on a novel for our art show in November.  It is called "Marking the Years".

Visiting and heart felt conversations
My moms cousin and her husband came out from Tennessee and we spent a day exploring Victoria together. I took them to some more of my favourite places.

Looking at Architecture - We explored the legislature building and listened to a guide while she explained the history of the building.  We learned the architect was only 25 when he designed and over saw the construction of the building.  He also designed the Empress and Crystal garden.  In later years he married a woman 30 years younger than he and was later murdered by her and her boyfriend.

The water taxi - getting from place to place by the water plus a tour up the gorge.  I love being on the water as it gives you a totally different perspective of a place.  The driver told us of the history along the route.

Fisherman's Wharf - dropped off by water taxi we stopped at Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips at Barb's and then fed the seals.

Exploring while getting to know someone better is on the top, of my list.  Totally enjoyed my visit.  They live in the Appalachian mountain range and I would love to visit them one day.

There ... that is the list of the things I love most in Victoria but even when I am doing things I love other things creep in that push me off my blissful peaks; like trying to find parking in town and doing government paperwork but then I hit a pretty big speed bump just as I had everything organized.

A few days after I had completed my move and everything was in storage and I was ALL in.  The husband that I was taking care of died at 97 years old. The wife doesn't need as much support so everything was up in the air.  But then I applied for and got another overnight job and everything got back on track.  I will still be spending time with the wife and another amazing client.  The wife is doing well but it is a huge adjustment in her life as they were married for 68 years!!

It is interesting how simple life seems when I don't have a to-do list a whole page long.  My stress level instantly dropped.  When a speed bump came my way it didn't feel overwhelming.  My list of things to do is so small.  That day my list was:  get a job.    I got a job and I scratched it off my list.

Next week I start camping so I'll see if I made the right decision then.  I'll keep you posted 😉