Benign Neglect

Back in the dark ages of my young adulthood I had a lot of houseplants. It was the fashion of the era and it was less expensive to fill a space with plants than with furniture. The first house I owned, at age 22, was a 4500 square foot Victorian structure, circa 1875. After a couple of moves and general lack of attention from me the house plants disappeared, a slow attrition rather than deliberate discard.  A few days ago Jim and I went to one of Butchart Gardens’ evening concerts and I noticed a full display of tropical plants, houseplants to us, in the cafeteria. I could name every one of them and at some point have owned all but one.

I’ve learned that I just don’t tend to indoor plants while I pick, fertilize, and water garden plants with some enthusiasm. Although we do manage an amaryllis some Christmases we generally don’t have any houseplants. None. Except right now. My delightful Brazilian relatives were here for Christmas 2011 (why would anyone leave Rio for Victoria in December you might well ask?) and knowing our “only consumable gifts” policy they gave us a splendid orchid. I promised them it would never re-bloom under my gentle hand and we enjoyed it for at least three months. After the blooms finally fell, I occasionally watered it and one day, when it was in my way, moved it onto the kitchen window sill. And lo, unto us was born (it was a Christmas present after all), new beauty. This plant is either anxious to please or in its final death throes and trying to reproduce; and in the meantime it’s gorgeous again! Here's to benign neglect.

Canada Day 2012

This time last year we had not taken possession of the townhouse where we now live. It was imminent but still four days off. We had just returned from 3 weeks in the Maritimes, and were feeling anxious about how to make the transition from big house to not too small condo. Jim was gearing up for the massive renovation and I was already tired thinking about getting us moved. We managed to squeeze in a final Canada Day party to say goodbye to the garden and then got down to serious work.

And now it is a year later and we had the first Canada Day party in the new space. And it worked pretty well. It was a windy evening and not very warm but with sunshine on the balcony and heaters in the patio we were comfortable. Set up for these 'first' events takes a little thought but we are getting the hang of it. We were 25 for this one. Cousin Barb has a folding table and extra chairs that we will probably uses as much as she does.
"Catered by Costco" is my new favourite way to entertain since there is no pretense that I went through days of preparation. 

We've had a lot of CD parties over the years. When we don't it's because we've gone downtown, are out of town, or are attending someone else's party. It just seems right to mark the day somehow. Sure, Canada isn't perfect. But aside from a tropical paradise with staff (and no humidity, bugs, snakes, or other critters; not too hot either) it's a good life. Really. Where would you live? Arizona in the summer? Florida in the summer? Europe in the summer or winter? Greece at any time?

Our politics are relatively transparent and honest, our banks are relatively stable, as a nation we are relatively tolerant and affluent. It's a Goldilocks kind of place: not too hot, not too cold, not too big, not too small. We live in a comfortable middle-of-the-road kind of place. Complacent and smug you could say. And for me, that's enough reason to celebrate.