Week 7

“Letters from Corner Brook” took a break following Christmas, while I went home to Toronto. That trip in itself, however, served to highlight once again what those who live in Newfoundland go through to get anywhere off-island.

First lesson: book Christmas flights in September. I waited till November to book - and by the time I did, the only flights left were the milk run/red-eye specials. A Beechcraft 18-seater prop-jet (which brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘little silver cigar tube hurtling through the sky at 400 kph’) from Deer Lake to St. John’s; a slightly larger regional jet from St. John’s to Halifax, but still a little silver tube; a seven-hour wait in Halifax - then a plane which would not start (can you believe it????) - which resulted in a further two-hour wait till the engine was going. So all in all it was something like 18 hours in transit. Now - a direct flight to Toronto is two and a half hours. Newfies know to book all flights well ahead, and now - so does Fran. Ouchie!

The return flight to Deer Lake was equally long, though it was supposed to be four hours. This time, the plane in Toronto was seriously broken - and the pilot cancelled that flight. That meant another plane, a gate change, transfer all the luggage and food from one to the other. So a 12:10 flight to St. John’s left at 2, and arrived in St. John’s at 6:30. The last flight to Deer Lake went out at 5, hence no connection. So - I had a night at the Holiday Inn, dinner at East Side Mario’s, and two taxi trips courtesy of Air Canada. It meant, however, getting up at 04:30 to check in for the 6:30 am little silver 18-seater tube to Deer Lake. Yawn! The Beechcraft is in fact a prop-jet, great for short take-off and landing - and there is no door on the cockpit, so passengers can see right out the front at both takeoff and landing. The co-pilot doubles as the flight attendant. Love it!

The neat thing about the little regional connectors is they leave, as much as possible, whenever everyone is there - so our 6:30 flight left at 6:15, since we were all on board. And although we flew most of the way in the dark, by the time we landed, and I got outside and cleaned a week’s worth of snow and ice off the car, it was light enough to see well.

When the roads are good, the drive from Deer Lake to Corner Brook is about half an hour. There had been a fair bit of snow, but that light airy snow which clings to tree branches and makes everything into a fairyland. The drive home was wonderful - and as I passed the southern end of Deer Lake (the lake, not the town) - the sky was turning a pale pink-grey above the mountains as the sun came up. I cannot describe how breathtaking it really is - a smooth, clear, unruffled lake surrounded by mountains covered in snow, and just the dark evergreens for colour. Somehow, I need to find a way to get some pictures - words just don’t describe it.

...and so another chapter in Corner Brook begins. L’chaim! (To life).

This week’s missive is a tiny bit shorter. I did stop at the office Wednesday morning on the way back to Corner Brook, for just an hour, but then came on home, and slept a good two hours on the sofa; unpacked and did laundry, ate something, and went back to sleep from about 10:30 till 9 Thursday morning.

...and 2011 begins with a bang. Thursday I went to the office, then grocery shopping, came home and cleaned up the house, as my three United Church colleagues were coming for a Twelfth Night party. I managed a roast pork, and ‘cacio e pepe’ (Roman pasta with pecorino romano cheese, and fresh black pepper). Yes, I’ve been reading “Eat, Pray, Love” and that one just caught my attention since I love cheese, pepper and pasta. Salad was kindly brought, as was wine and dessert - and we had a wonderful evening getting to know each other a bit better. I am so grateful to have these three wonderful colleagues - because in a move to a small place like this, it *could* have been a disaster. We are all pretty well “of a mind”. From left to right: Myles Vardy (First United), Fran, Marilyn Avery (Chaplaincy) and Kim Waite (Oakland United).

Friday was a lunch party with several women from the congregation. Three of us travelled together to Steady Brook, ten minutes away, to the home of Donna Ferry. This is a really beautiful home, with a sunroom addition painted a lovely leafy fresh green, with lots of windows facing lots of bird feeders. Lunch is a seafood chowder to die for (lobster, scallops, haddock and cod), salad and quiche, lemon and lime tarts, and a chocolate raspberry cheesecake - not to mention the wine. (Did I mention I have not yet met one person here who doesn’t pop a cork when you walk in the door????) Well, my dears, (as they say around here) - everyone at the table would have been happy to make lunch out of the chowder and homemade rolls. The big laugh of the afternoon was the carrot with three legs - two long and one short. You fill in the rest. Needless to say once they figured the minister wasn’t offended, we all laughed till we cried, especially since the carrot was beginning to shrivel a bit. What a lot of hooting!

Backing up a tad - after sleeping on my own bed in Toronto, and then coming back to the wimpy little single bed here, it became abundantly clear that I simply have to go get a good bed. No two ways about it. I am definitely not sleeping well, and feeling the springs of the mattress on hips and shoulders. It was kind of the landlord to put the bed in, and it’s served its purpose.

So at lunch I asked where was the best place to buy furniture. I was referred to a warehouse clearance store in town, where I promptly went when lunch was over. Right off the bat I find exactly the bed I want within my budget. While waiting for some paperwork, I look around the store and spy a beautiful electric fireplace - all white, with a kind of faux marble around the insert - which is a *corner* fireplace, and just the right size for this room *and* exactly the right price. So Wednesday or Thursday the bed and the fireplace will arrive. Not only that but it’s all Canadian made. Yowza! Pics will come next week...and now that the bed is coming, I’d better paint that room before it gets here!

In the course of dinner with my colleagues, I mentioned that I was still looking for a good stand for the TV/VCR. “Well”, says my colleague Marilyn, “I have a corner unit which is just too big for my apartment. I’m selling it, but you tell me what you think it’s worth.” So today, I purchase an incredibly good piece of furniture which is just the perfect size for my living room, and fits neatly into the corner. Two guys from the congregation pick it up, take it to my house, get it into place and the TV all hooked up. Meanwhile I am sitting and having tea with Marilyn. Great afternoon talking about ministry and the need to keep up to date with pastoral care issues.

The last couple of days here have been blue, sunny and gorgeous. On our way back from Steady Brook we note that the ski hill is now making snow. Today the flurries started - but if I can get out next week and take some photos - I’ll post them. In the meantime I have a couple just for a laugh.

Sermon is written, tomorrow’s prep done - and so ends week 7 in this epiphany journey. Thanks for coming along....