Shield Maiden

We need some warriors right about now

I’m sitting in the Civic Hotel in Surrey. By the name, I was expecting some 50 year old relic of a hotel with faded carpets and that smell - you know the one - musty, old shoe, and walls embedded in tobacco from days gone by. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a Marriot boutique hotel. New. Smells good. Great coffee maker in the room! Cable TV! (I watched the wonderful “You’ve Got Mail” - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan at their prime. And yes I cried a little.) And literally across the plaza from the building that the Civic Theatre is in where tonight we present to the citizens of Surrey the 10th century warrior who is Ingrid Larsdotter, Shield Maiden. Hope they know what they are getting in for.

Been trying to not watch or follow much news lately. It’s hard to get anything that isn’t about the orange turd and his threats. People I know just canceled a family trip to Hawaii that had been a year in the works. I hate that they had to do that but I praise them for their stance. I fear for Ukraine. I fear for Palestinians. I fear for Greenland. I fear for Panama. I fear for us Canadians. PP (our own version of the orange turd - sorry to any of you who disagree) is taking over the airwaves even as I write, usurping the festivities of National Flag Day, to push his personal agenda onto TVs, radios and computers across the country.

How are you feeling? Is it all just too overwhelming? Is it affecting relationships with family, friends? Are you finding yourself making decisions with current events at the forefront? I find I am using grounding techniques more and more. One of my favourites is really good at bringing me back to my immediate surroundings. I look around wherever I am and say, “I see 5 blue things. I see 4 red things. I see 3 brown things…. and so on.” Suddenly I am back right where I am and breathing a little easier.

And yes, it’s National Flag Day. I didn’t think to bring a little flag in my suitcase but here’s one:

I am actually old enough to remember the day the flag was first introduced. I was in elementary school and we all went outside in the snow and cold (Ontario in February) to watch as the Union Jack was lowered and the brand new Canadian flag was raised. Then we all sang O Canada and went back to our classrooms. Small ceremony but clearly felt significant since I can clearly recall it (and I have to admit that most memories are getting a little fuzzy these days).

Welcome to my Substack to the new members. I happened to mention it at a writers’ accountability group that I have joined (and yes, it’s helping, I have started writing again after a loooooong dry spell) and by the end of the session, two people had joined my Substack. Thank you both so much! And thank you as always to all of you who have stuck with me, even through the dry spell. I am deeply grateful to every one of you. And I would love to hear from you!

And now, a small favour. I am writing a short story set somewhere on the Trans-Canada Trail. Needs to be a spot on the trail in a town or community, where there might be a coffee shop, and ideally near Victoria. Anyone know of such a spot? The Trans-Canada, as it winds its way through Victoria and environs, turns into the Galloping Goose, if that helps. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Okay, that’s it for today. I’m off to the Surrey Civic Theatre to get ready to rock out the house with Melanie Teichroeb as the extraordinary Shield Maiden!

Till next time,

Sandy