Le Retour and on to Victoria March 9th

Oh dear what a shock coming back to Canada. ??Toronto is my home and I love it but the entry back into it is difficult. After the sun, palm trees and azure blue of the sea, it depressing beyond belief to see nothing but snow and it is dirty. The following huge snow storm was welcome if only to cover up the filth.Compared with the gracefulness of Nice, Toronto doesn’t stand a chance. ?This is the worst moment of its year. And already I miss the other grace notes: ? the little bows and constant “Bon jour.” ?or “Bonne continuez.” ?The bowing of the head when you just vaguely recognize someone in the bar or a resto. ?No one would get on a bus without a greeting and a thanks. I always do that here but it just seems odd to most people. ?But I’ll absolutely insist on doing it anyway making like a weird lady. Or very old fashioned. ?We came back to the biggest snow storm in about 50 years and instantly the city was transformed into a white quiet almost beautiful place. My neighbours shoveled and shoveled all through it, including Noah who did a great job of the porch and front walk. ?I was terrified that I wasn’t going to be able to get out of town the next day. ? ?I was booked to give a talk in Victoria on the 10th and we hadn’t actually gone to Plan B. The airport was a wall of people and noise but since I’d discovered the joy of on-line boarding pass, I sailed through the lineups. the plane left late and arrived on time. But there were people who’d been sitting around ?for at least 24 hours waiting to get out.?The flight attendants had been doing double duty and somehow the crowd on the plane seem to understand and it was a quiet, rather serene flight. I had taken a really nice lunch along with me, so with a glass of wine or two it wasn’t bad at all.?And of course flying into Victoria means you are flying into spring. ?What a gorgeous city, and what a lot of blossoms. ? I was met by Valerie Murray, mine host at Art in Bloom and we had such a great time,