In Shwingtown February 26 - March 1, 2024

On Greg's last visit to Port Credit we discussed a winter visit in Shawinigan and set a rough date. I flew on Air Canada passes instead of Via Rail and Terryl did not join me on this trip.

Greg met me at YQB and within an hour and a half we were home enjoying a cool one along with a light lunch. Nathan had previously sent us some new professional photos for his budding acting career and I thought it would be a nice start to this post.

Marie-Lou arrived home at 18:00 and after a couple of hugs and hellos she was out the door on a half hour 'cleansing run.' Her day was filled with patient appointments, administrative duties and solving problems that sometimes a 'run' is the best activity to put her professional activities behind her--at least until tomorrow. 

Greg and Marie-Lou have lived in Shawinigan for 14 years where they built their family home: a large four bedroom, three bathroom, furnished recreation room and one large swimming pool fronting plenty of land that yields tasty vegetables and herbs every summer. They have three sons: Ben 24, Nathan 21 and Thomas 16. Ben and Nathan moved to Montreal at 17 years to further their post high school education and Thomas will be doing the same in two years time. Ben is a senior web designer specializing in gaming technology and Nathan is an accomplished actor and has directed as well. Thomas builds robots from scratch and learns many things from his parents, grandparents, friends and much of the rest of his skills from YouTube. I remember asking him when he was seven years old where he learned how to fix a particular piece of equipment; his immediate answer was YouTube--and it still is. 

Greg and I spent our first day talking about the issues we face in our current affairs. We solved a few and left several others untouched for future deliberation. Their dog Zelda and the two cats behaved beautifully today and the rest of the week. The weather that first day was sunny around 6C--perfect for sitting outside in the sunshine and enjoying a cool one. [When Greg was a young man he said when we get together that he would always bring the six-pack. Back in the day we called it a SchoolBoy.]

These photographs make my heart sing. These five people are my people. 

After a lovely four night stay of talking, eating and drinking together we are in Montreal at a wonderful Irish Pub--of all places--Ben was already there and Nathan arrived a few minutes later, Thomas had been dropped off at the site of a weekend Robotic Event where he captained his team which preceded the finals to be held somewhere in the USA. Marie-Lou would see the event on an Internet Link sent by Thomas.

In the pub I witnessed two young men and their father and me in conversation. We also had a few beers before the lunch was ordered. We talked about our stuff -- all four of us. These discussions went to the heart of our particular interest and concerns.

This one stood out for me: Greg asked his two older boys if the youngest (Thomas) should or would want to leave home and move to Montreal when he graduated from high school: just as they had. The discussion was honest, truthful and filled with knowledge and experience, but most importantly, their understanding of the kind of guy their younger brother has exhibited in his life time. When Thomas discusses these issues with his mother and father down the road, Ben and Nathan's input will be in the room. It's also relevant that I say the older boys came home often--not for emergencies--but when they wanted to and when they were expected for special occasions. 

Greg dropped me off at YUL four hours before my registered flight at 19:10 and said if you don't get on please call me. I went to check in and get a boarding pass. My sources told me to go to Gate 1 and ask for an earlier flight. I did--knowing that the loads were prohibitive--and took a seat. In fifteen minutes I had a seat on that flight, that Gate, on 14A and to walk on board NOW.

I'm home and writing what you're reading. It's a wonderful life.