A Staycation at Tobermory - Our First Long Distance Car Trip After Our Vaccinations

A long distance car trip and our staycation in almost two years! It was such a refreshing and liberating experience! We have looked forward and planned for this holiday for quite a few weeks. I could hardly hide my excitement when the day of our trip arrived.

All the preparations were checked off on our to do list - packing all the necessary items, cleaning the house, mowing the front and backyard, turning off the water! We didn't do it the last time and the toilet was running for two weeks which cost us over $700.00 in water bills! So this time we remembered to do it!

We took our time for the drive up north of Toronto. A drive that normally takes 4 1/2 hours, we took it slow, and enjoyed the different small towns on our way up. We stopped for lunch at a country restaurant and shopped at one of the lovely craft stores displaying many creative folk art items. We arrived at Tobermory at around 5:30pm. Helen and Raymond were gracious hosts and invited us to stay for a few days at their

cottage. She even prepared dinner for us.

After dinner,they drove us to see the light house which only took a few minutes drive. Their cottage is located just a short distance from downtown Tobermory.

We love Travelling, in particular, meeting old friends and catching up with them. We have known Helen for more than a decade and have watched their kids growing up in Waterloo.

Helen prepared a camp fire in their vast backyard and we stayed up and talked into the night!

We would spend a few days in Tobermory and plan to visit a number of places and look forward to enjoying some downtime in this unique beautiful scenic part of Ontario, Canada, recognized by UNESCO as one of the UNESCO Biospheres! R.T Tobermory, Ontario

Bringing Mom out for Her First Dim Sum Lunch After Her Stroke

One of the major setbacks for our family during the COVID 19 pandemic has been my mom’s illness. My 95 year old mom suffered a serious stroke soon after the celebration of her 95 year old online celebration.

 

 She is in rehab at the Providence Rehab Centre   currently trying to regain some mobility and   independence she has enjoyed before her stroke.

Due to COVID restrictions, visiting my mom has not been easy as there are many protocols to follow and the number of visitors are restricted. 

My siblings and I have been trying our best to visit Mom and have made a schedule so that at least one

of us visits her every day of the week for a couple of hours.

At her rehab centre, only three visitors are allowed to be on the visitor list, therefore my other siblings and Mom’s grandchildren are not allowed to visit.

 After seeing the three of us for a couple of months, Mom missed her other children. She talked about seeing all of us together. Since not all our siblings live in the greater Toronto area, getting a date when everyone could be together needed much coordination. 

We needed to consider and accomplish the following tasks in order to take Mom out for a lunch: 

 1. Transportation - Mom is not mobile at all and we needed to arrange a wheel chair transport to take her to the restaurant and back to the rehab centre. 

 2. A day pass - We needed to apply and get approval from the Rehab Centre

 3. An outdoor patio restaurant that could sit 8- 10 people. 

 4. A date and time that would be good for everyone involved, including our of town siblings.

It took almost two weeks of intensive work to arrange all of the above. Finally, the day of our family dim sum lunch arrived!

How exciting! I was eager to see Mom’s happy face when seeing all of her children for the first time in a long while. Therefore, I made sure that we arrived at the restaurant way ahead of our scheduled lunch. 

 The lunch was at Shangri La Restaurant in Richmond Hill, Ontario. It had a nice garden with a gazebo, a spacious outdoor dining space surrounded by a lot of green space. The tables were far apart in keeping with the COVID protocol.

 It was exciting seeing Mom in a wheelchair arriving to the restaurant!

Mom was happy and gave us her thumbs up!!!

Seeing all her children together for the first time in almost two yeas made her very happy. She was in a good spirit!

The fact that she was able to enjoy a dim sum lunch in almost two years at a restaurant with all her children made her day! It made our day too! 

We had not been together for almost 24 months. There was a lot of catching up to do! Though Mom was still recovering from her stroke and her memory has been severely affected, she was able to recognize and name each one of her children plus some of their spouses present that afternoon.

 It was a good indicator that Mom was recovering though slowly. It was a joyful event! All the planning and coordination were worth it! 

In fact, Mom and us enjoyed the dim sum lunch so much that we did again after this one before the cold weather set in and the COVID lockdown happened again.

 R.T.

 Richmond Hill, Ontario

Life During COVID - Celebrating My Mom's 95th Birthday During the COVID 19 Pandemic

My mom celebrated her 95th birthday a few months ago! It is a milestone reaching one's 95th birthday. 

 

We were grateful that our mom was healthy, happy, active and living an independent life on her own in a senior apartment. 

 In normal times, we would have held a huge party inviting many friends, relatives to come and celebrate with Mom and our family. 

But due to COVID restrictions, we could not hold any in person gathering or having any party.

What we did instead was organizing a virtual party to celebrate this special event. 

We sent out invitations to all our siblings, and my mom's grandchildren who are working and living in different parts of the world. 

The day before, we decorated our house, putting up ribbons and preparing a special place for her to sit.

During the COVID period, we cannot attend church services on Sunday, therefore, we bring Mom to our house and we watch our church service online.
 

After the Sunday service, we would have lunch together. Mom really enjoyed that. We have been doing that since the COVID restrictions forbid us from going to church on Sundays.

We are glad that we could still bring a little joy to Mom who has been a prisoner in her own apartment since COVID started.

On the day of the zoom party (Sunday), we picked up Mom from her senior apartment at around 11a.m.and brought her to our house. 

She was surprised that we decorated the house and held a party in her honour.

 After the Sunday Service, it was time for the zoom party.

Most of her grandchildren and seven children signed on the zoom party. They talked to Grandma and wished her happy birthday. 

Mom was tickled pink seeing her grandchildren from Florida, San Francisco, Hawaii, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and other Canadian cities! She was so happy having her family around her even though it was online.

 

My sister baked a diabetic friendly birthday cake for her and bought it over. We lit the candles and sang happy birthday to Mom. She was happy and tried to look for and identified all her grandchildren and great grandchildren on the screen.

It was a memorable day for my 95 year old Mom and us all! COVID or not, it could not dim our joy of celebrating Mom's 95th birthday!

R.T.

Toronto

Life during COVID 

My 94 Years Old Mom Got Her COVID 19 Vaccine!

The day finally arrived! After days of learning about the different types of vaccines available and enquiring the possible dates when vaccine injection for the certain groups of people, my whole family was excited when our mom was notified of her date of the first vaccine at her senior apartment. On the day of the vaccine injection, I arrived at Mom's senior apartment to escort her to the temporary set up clinic. I was impressed by the whole process: 

 1. Announcements came over the public announcement system informing the residents that all residents over 80 years old could go down to the clinic for the vaccines.

 2. About 10 minutes later, someone came to my mom's unit ready to assist her to go down to the injection site. 

 3. Chairs were set up in a good distance for the seniors while waiting in line.

4. Each chair was sanitized before another senior sat on it.

5. COVID protocols were followed as each senior was led to different stations before getting the injection. 

 When the turn came for my mom's injection, I stood beside her ready to translate for her. My mom had no vaccine hesitancy; she was ready to roll up her sleeve and happy to receive it.

As I was standing there witnessing my mom getting the vaccine, I started to cry as I knew that my mom would have some protection from the COVID 19 virus and that she would start to regain some of her freedom back! After she got her shot, my mom was asked to go to the recovery room and wait there for 15 minutes to be observed for any possible side effect she might be experiencing. I waited with her. Thank goodness, nothing negative happened. The vaccination was done!

A few weeks later, my husband got his appointment in Waterloo and received his first Pfizer shot. Then a few weeks later, I got mine too. We were so relieved that most of my family elderly members received our first vaccine shots.

We were very fortunate not only did we receive our shots, we could even have a choice of which vaccine we wanted. We were lucky that we all got the kind of shots we all wanted. Praise God and we are looking forward to get our second one. We were delighted to hear that both of our children living overseas also received their vaccine as well! 

 R.T 

Toronto, Canada

Welcoming the Year of the Ox in the Middle of the Pandemic In Canada

It was exactly last year around the same time when the COVID 19 virus starting affecting the lives of the western world.

I remember writing a blog post while celebrating the Chinese New Year and enjoying a lion dance perfomred by a group of lion dancers in a Chinese restaurant. Never in my wildest dream would I have imagined that we are going into the second year of the pandemic in 2021. Depsite the stay home order placed in Ontario, our family tried our best to continue the tradition as muc as possible. Unforunataely, under the weather last week. I could not cook up a storm for the New year dinner. Sneezing and coughing a lot throughout the day, spent most of day lying in bed, resting and watching TV. I felt bad that my husband would not have a good dinner on new year day.

To my surprise my sister and a friend from church brought me various dishes on New year eve. As we were enjoying the food on New Year day. I was enveloped by a lot of love and a warm feeling swelt within me. I was grateful that we have caring and loving family and friends who remembered me, showed their love by bringing us food they prepared with love. It was a fantastic feeling! We also arranged to have zoom calls and dinners together. Our church groups helh online celebratons, sang play games and shared traditions and customs.

Our women's group even held a new year virutal fashio show. After cooping at home in our lounge wear for almost a year, it was fun dressing up, putting on our heels and posted for pictures with pretty clothes.

After a week of rest and feeling better, I got up yesterday and cooked up a storm for my loved ones. I delivered a new year meal to my needy relatives, and gave the kids their red pocket lucky money. Tonight, We had a nice long distance call with our first born who has gotten a nice new job and is now looking for a new place to live. We exchnaged news sharing a couple of jokes and good laugh. We carried on our lunar new year traditions, visiting loved ones and sharing food together (virtually), pandemic or not!

R.T. Toronto, Canada

The Inauguration of Joe Biden and the First female Vice President of the U.S.

There has been so much despair and depressing news in the last tweleve months on TV that  we looked forward to a joyous and celebratory news braodcast today on most of the major TV channels today. 

The U.S. Capitol on the 46th Presidential Inauguration Day

We anticipated with eagerness and looked forward to the inauguration ceremony of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the new administration at the White House.

George Washinton was sworn in as the first American president in New York in April of 1789. Abraham Lincoln gave his first inagural speech at The Capitol before its construction  was finished during the Civil Was.  

One of the speakers acknowledged at the ceremony that - it has been a miracle the U.S. presidential swearing -in ceremony has been taking place every four years for the past 232 years, dispite the two world wars, the Depression and now in the middle of the COVID 19 Pandenic.

We sat and glued in fornt of our tv watching the entire ceremony from beginning to the very end.There were a few touching moments for me.

The first such moment was when Kamala Harris was being sworn in and recited her oath; tears streamed down my face as I saw history being made - Kamala Harris, the first female African, Asian American swearing in as the Vice President of United States. A hundred and eight yeats ago, thousands of people marched at The Capitol for the right to vote; today we witnessed the swearing in of the female visible minority as the first US Vice President!

The second touching moment for me was during President Biden's inaugurration speech. Biden was first elected to the U.S. Senate at 29 years old , the youngest Senator eleced. Now at 78 years old he is the oldest president elected in US history.  The.46th President of the United States, President Biden starts his presidency in an unprecednet challenging times in U.S. history with recorded high unemployment, rise of extremisim, and domestic violence.

He stressed to Americans to be united in order to fight extremism, violence, unemployment, growing of racial unrest, and a raging pandemic.

I was deeply touched especially by President Biden's words:

"Democracy has prevailed!  America has been tested, and has come out stronger.... With purose and resolve, we turn to the tasks at hand. Use the opportunty to reclaim truth, put aside our' differenes and work towards a common goal...a new chapter, a new beginnng.With unity we can do great things. listening and respecting one another, "

Another powerful moment for me was when Amanda Gorman -  the first National Youth Poet Laureate recited the poem - The Hill We Climb, caputuring some of the historical and recent events as well as expressing the hopes and dreams of the future for Americans. That was a beautiful and powerful moment to see young Americans to express their views of their beloved country!

Due to COVID restrictions and public safety concerns, there were no huge crowds cheering on the newly elected president and vice president. There was pomp and circumstance at the ceremony and the joy of the people was evident.

-  the singing of the national anthem by Lady Gaga, pledging of the allengince to the flag by the first
black,  singing of This Land is My Land by Jennifer Lopes, Joe Biden taking his sacred oath, the first oath taken by George Washington, the prayer and benedication and the review of the military foreces afterwards.

People all over the world are watching and will be watching at how the new  White House administration and the American people will move forward in this challenging time among their fractured and diveded country. 

We sincerely will continue to pray and wish President Biden and Vice President Harris all the best and success in their efforts in uniting Americans and overcoming all the emorous challenges facing U.S. today!

R.T.
A Canadian rooting for the new U.S. President and Vice President
Toronto, Canada

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The United States Capitol Under Seige on Jan.6, 2021 as the Electoral College Votes Were Counted

 We got up this morning thinking that it would be another uneventful day. How wrong we were!

The United States has been an inspriation and a shining example to the world for as a democratic country respecting the wills of its people through free and fair elections of its governemnt.

Watching Mitch McConnell's opening speech at the beginning of the joint session around 2pm, I was almost in tears by his touching words. Though a staunch supporter of Trump, he finally came around to accept the result of the November election and urged strongly other Republican colleagues to do the same.

No sooner after Mitch's speech, we watched commotion taking place in the chamber and in a few minutes, the house represetnatives were evaucated. We could not believe what we were seeing live on ourtv screen. While some congressmen were ducking down, some were with guns drawn on guard by the door to the chamber.  Rioters were breaking windows, climbing into the Capitol, roaming around the hall of the Capitol. rummaging through the desks of congressmen/women in the evacuated chamber. 

It was unimaginable what has just transpired this afternoon as Januaury 6, 2021 will be forever remembered as an infamy and a dark day in the recent American history. We thought we were watching a coup d'etat in a third world lawless country run by thugs. The America we have known was better than this. We were so disappointed and appalled at what the whole world was witnessing at that moment.

The only redeeming thing for America on its darkest day in recent history was the brave actions taken by its congressmen/ women on both sides to resume their consititional duties of counting the electoral college votes to certify Joe Biden as the next president of United States!

R.T.
Toronto, Canada