We're one week in...

As I reflect on our first week here in Canada we've had some funny, unexpected discoveries and experiences.  The Marcums are certain to leave our mark on this peaceful place - and I'm oh-so-hopeful we aren't the cause of an international incident over the next three years.  If, however, we are, I'm confident it will have its roots in some pedestrian error...who knew walking could be so complicated?

I've still not ventured to drive in this lovely city.  And it's no so much that I don't want to drive in a big city - that's really not it at all.  The streets are laid out logically and thanks to my handy in-car GPS I have a false sense of knowing where I am and where I'm heading at all times.  You see, the real issue is parking - again - not parking on the street, but back in our apartment building.  Our space has approximately a 3" margin of error on either side and we've determined that it's "easier" to back into our space than pull in forwards.  There's a Volvo who parks next to us and it hasn't moved since we moved in.  They clearly got used to not having a car in the space beside them because they've parked their car mere centimeters from the white line and since there's a GIANT concrete beam on the other side of our space, I'm content walking.  It's healthier, you see more of the city AND I don't want to be responsible for the first ding on the new car.

Our first 'incident' was on Sunday after coming home from lunch at our favorite restaurant from last November.  Picture the last hotel room you stayed in - where you have the deadbolt lock and then the additional lock above it that is basically a ball that you flip a paperclip looking thing-y onto so the door can't open fully even if it's unlocked.  We've got one of those.  We got home from Elephant & Castle, unlocked the door and WHAM - it wouldn't open.  Somehow - we don't know how, but I suspect some little fingers did some of their own exploring and had pulled the little paperclip piece so it was perpendicular to the wall, and when we closed the door the paperclip part flipped over and we were locked out of our apartment.  Only it was this teasing, taunting kind of locked out because we could open the door 3 inches or so.  Lydia wanted to hyperventilate, Henry starting bidding farewell to Legos he was confident he'd never see again, Philip went down to the lobby to let the apartment manager know that we still wanted our sofa delivered (despite not being able to open our door) and I muscled up my best MacGyver self and started trying to take the paperclip piece apart.  I'm proud to say that by the time Philip returned from the lobby, I had successfully dismantled the lock mechanism with a key and a paperclip (a real one this time)!  Since Philip had the on-duty manager with him I'm sure I also landed myself on some sort of apartment watch list for suspected burglars.

Today was fun - we walked ALL OVER Stanley Park kind of as tribute to the kids' last day at home before they start school tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure they're really excited about starting school because their directionally challenged mother won't be able to traipse them around all corners of Vancouver if they're safely entrenched in their classrooms.  The four stories of Lydia's school will seem like nothing compared to the hours long 'short walks' we've taken to date.  Today was extra special - we started at the rose garden - lovely, right?  And it was.  Then we meandered through the rock garden to a playground area and into a 'village' paying tribute to the native peoples of this area.  It was great - totem poles and a miniature train.  I let Lydia choose the route for a bit and we wandered through the old-growth forest along the train tracks and made it right back to where we started.  It was all going swimmingly.  Since Philip was coming home for lunch we decided to head toward home around 11 - but *I* insisted we try coming back a new way instead of retracing our steps.  Given my penchant for unsound directional decisions, I should've listened to my road-tested eight year old.  Alas - I got caught up in the moment of "let's see something new" and off we went.  We did, however, find the Lumberman's arch (all these pix are on facebook), bought a popcorn snack and headed for the seawall that was in sight.  We found an outdoor play fountain on the water, a statue of a girl in a wetsuit sitting on a rock in the water and the lighthouse from which they've shot and continue to shoot a cannon at 9PM every night.  It was very cool.  And then...boredom and tired feet set in.  And my level of panic began to inch up as I realized I'd done it again - we were WAY far away from where we needed to be and had about 35 minutes to get home and meet Philip for lunch.  I'm prodding, nudging and cajoling the kids along only to realize that the little bike bell ringing behind me was totally meant for us.  You see, we were WALKING in the BIKE lane - this is something you just don't do.  And I know this because I've done it before - about 4 days ago.  Sadly - the big painted signs on the pavement denoting which path is which always seem to be about 200 feet ahead of where I irritate a biker.  I think what I've figured out today is that the paths closest to the water are for pedestrian traffic...I'll test that theory over the coming days...but I digress.

After surviving the near miss with the cyclist, our path took a deep turn right - this was a problem.  I could see where we wanted to be - it was straight ahead - but between where I was and where I wanted to be was a yacht club...and a whole lot of water.  And yes, my navigational guide (Henry) said - "Um mom - I told you this wouldn't work.  This is a "touring walk" not a "get where you want to go" walk."  Um yeah - got it.  Then, like an oasis in a desert, I saw the Stanley Park informational booth.  Hallelujah - we were saved...except there was a sign posted in the window "be back in 10 minutes" and I had 20 minutes left to save face and be home before my husband.  So we started walking toward traffic - and this was just the first in a line of things we did today that I've always told my children not to do.  As we walked toward traffic a friendly woman smiled at me - a kind of knowing smile, that "I know you're in a pickle and I really hate it for you because I can tell your children are ready to have your head" smile.  And I asked what I knew was an ignorant question, but the information booth which sanctions ignorant questions was closed and I had no other options.  I asked where I could find a taxi and she responded, "You're not from around here are you?"  Busted.  No I'm not - I can't imagine what gave that away.  Then, in a moment of unexpected grace she asked where we were headed (thank God I remember our cross streets) and she said, "We're heading that way; you'll just come with us".  Ummm - what to do?  I've got tired children with tired feet and I've got 15 minutes at this point.  She looked harmless enough and she was cleaning out her back seat for my children to get in so we did.  Stupid?  Probably.  Incredibly appreciated?  Absolutely.  And so she and her husband drove us home and wouldn't accept a dime for gas...and y'all gas is seriously expensive here.  So that gets us only to lunchtime and we've ridden with strangers, walked toward traffic and jaywalked.  But we've renewed our faith in humanity and the kids were severely lectured that they are NEVER to do that without a parent (and yes, I see the irony in that).  And we got home before Philip, enjoyed a family lunch and now we're watching a movie from the safe confines of our apartment.

Tomorrow they'll go to school where school lunch costs $4/day so we'll pack lunch.  We'll pack lunch because yesterday's victory was finding bread for a mere $3/loaf instead of $5/loaf when I shopped at a local market instead of the fancy chain store right beside us.  And after I take them to school and attend the weekly parents' coffee at the school, I'll come home alone.  That'll be kind of weird!  But I know that when I unlock the door after I take another of my 'walks' and sit down for a bit, the quiet will be kind of nice.  It'll feel itchy at first like I can't quite wrap my head around it, but then it'll feel nice.  Then the work of really settling will begin for me and I'll be counting the minutes til I walk to the schools to pick up the kids and hear about their first days so we can have first day cupcakes and some beach time.  And soon this will be all be normal.  It's funny how normal pops up quicker than you'd expect and it's lovely that hospitality isn't just relegated to the Southern USA.  Our Canadian neighbors have it down pat too - from the moment we've arrived the hospitality has been familiar and for that I'm grateful.