Last week was a big week at our house. We're fortunate to have landed on a floor in our building with some great neighbors. There are only 4 suites on our floor and we enjoy a congenial relationship with our floor mates - it's a gift. One couple hails from the Holland - by way of an Indonesian tea plantation for the husband. Funny enough, the two met here in Vancouver and have served, perhaps unwittingly, as surrogate grandparents for our children. When we bake, we share with them and vice versa. Not long ago, our plate was returned clean but not empty - it held some homemade cream puffs that were delectable. We walked across the hall to thank the chef and she offered to share the recipe. I love recipes - I read cookbooks like novels - I was thrilled. I arrived home from running errands to find the recipe taped to our door and was delighted to read the last line, "Comes with one lesson - my kitchen or yours." SCORE! As we were in the midst of our homeschool season, I knew the time would have to wait until the kids were back in school - I'd have to be patient.
That time came last week - Tuesday, in fact. I knocked on our neighbor's door at 10AM sharp - with cookie sheet, parchment paper, and ingredients in hand. The water was already on her stove and flour premeasured and we got to work. While I loved cooking with our neighbor, what I really enjoyed was her company and her stories. As we whisked in eggs I asked how she and her husband met and she explained that when she took a Trans-Atlantic ship from Europe to NYC en route to visit an aunt in Vancouver, that her mother had told her to look for another couple making the same voyage. Apparently, this couple was friends with the aunt she'd be visiting and would be dinner guests; her mom thought it would be awkward to have been on the same ship for ten days without at least making an effort at introductions. Little did she know that she was meeting her future in-laws. The couple, in fact, came over for dinner during her visit with their adult daughter and son. As they left, their son whispered to my neighbor, "When my parents and sister leave, I'm going to ask you out." And he did. She stayed in Vancouver and they returned to Holland where they were married and then went on to honeymoon in Paris.
Cooling cream puffs and homemade chocolate glaze - Y-U-M!
As the cream puffs baked, we sipped coffee and she shared with me how her husband had gone into hiding during WWII and had been part of the underground, helping pilots cross the Rhine to the liberated southern Netherlands - Pegasus I was a success and Pegasus II was not. In Pegasus II, her husband's brother was mortally wounded but they did not know that until his mother advertised in a London paper asking about his whereabouts. They later learned that he was well cared for in his last days by a German doctor and many years later, while at a memorial celebration her husband got to meet the man who had cared for his brother. Closure.
We had a lovely morning; delightful, in fact. I was glad I had the wherewithal to leave the laundry, dirty dishes and to-do list and make time for this slice of connection. I left filled in a much deeper way than the yummy cream puffs could provide and felt honored to have learned about the artists' village of Laren where my neighbor was raised. I got a glimpse into history in the most personal way I've ever experienced as she showed me books that included paintings of her hometown - the windmill, the mansion of Mr. Singer, his atelier where she lived when her school was commandeered by the Germans during the war. It was holy.
Finished product
The following day, the kids and I joined up with a couple of friends from school to ferry over to Victoria for a day at Parliament. This was the grand finale to the field trips I had planned during strike time and we had decided we'd go on this trip regardless of school being in session. It was an important trip. We struck out at 730AM and got to the ferry terminal in time to board the 9AM sailing. The hour and a half boat ride was foggy and damp, but the kids were excited to be having school in a different way. We arrived, hopped the bus bound for downtown Victoria [via every single stop imaginable since the express bus was full, but I digress] and hopped off at Parliament in time for an early lunch before heading to Question Period. We opted for hot dogs from a food truck and ate at picnic tables on the harbor and chatted with seagulls. The clouds were thick but beginning to break and it was nice to be outside. We headed for Parliament at 1PM to clear security, receive our guest passes and be seated in time for QP. Question Period is designed to give the opportunity to ask questions/call to the carpet the government and its actions and we had front row seats for a spicy day!
Hot Dog lunch with Fairmont Empress in the background
Before QP began, however, there was a ceremonial procession of the Speaker announced by the Sergeant at Arms, in formal dress, into the Chambers. It was a lovely testament honoring traditions and times past as the province seeks to move forward into what the next chapter will be. Then, members of the legislative assembly were afforded the opportunity to introduce their guests and we were among them. Our MLA (think representative) from the West End, Spencer Chandra Herbert, stood and welcomed us each by name to our legislature. I appreciated his words - the connoted his sense of service to our province and our community and indicated to me his obvious care for the call to be in government service. The children were thrilled to hear their names in such a formal setting and we later learned that we will receive a presentation copy of the minutes listing our names and a CD of our introduction. We then got to bear witness to very directed questions at our Premier. She's been in the news quite a lot - especially with the teacher strike - and we were fortunate to be at a session that she attended. I appreciated the frankness of questions, the willingness to address hard issues and the obvious passion for British Columbia held by the Parliamentarians. There were times I wondered how governments ever get anything done as the party lines were very clear and dissension seemed the norm. But it dawned on me that sometimes making such big decisions slowly is healthy. To rush into any province-wide decision without hearing voices of dissent and other points of view would really be irresponsible and I am grateful that there are people who are willing to ask those hard questions and shine light on implications that may not be positive.
Parliament Building
Buddies
Inside Parliament - with Queen Elizabeth over our shoulder (I think Lydia's mimicking her stance)
Spencer's offices in the West End and in Victoria were lovely to work with and they were extraordinarily patient with me as I navigated the planning of this trip. Spencer himself made a generous donation to help offset travel costs for all of us and was very gracious with his time. Following QP he met with our little group and personally toured us around the Parliament building. We got to see parts of the building not open to general public as his guests - including an old jail which was a hit with the kids. We ended our tour in his office where we got to ask questions - as many as we liked - and Spencer answered them all thoughtfully without making us feel rushed [despite the fact he had to be on the floor shortly after our departure]. As a parent it was compelling to see my children, especially Henry, take an interest in civic duty. He asked very thoughtful questions and again that sense of hope rose from the discourse among people. The relationship our children built with our MLA on that trip is one that will have an impact of which we may not see the depth for years to come. That visit in Spencer's office helped begin the process of passing the torch to our young people as the leaders and caregivers of our future. It too was holy.
Photo with Spencer
When I get down and sometimes anxious about the state of the world and the quagmire that we seem to be creating, I look to good people for hope. I look to people who can see the quagmire as a call to action to be part of the solution. I look to people who can help me understand the past and the lessons it has to offer our future. I look to people who seek to shape a better future - not only for themselves but the world as a whole. And I hope to be a person who contributes good to that cause individually and as a family. May it be so.
Sunset from the Ferry
