In the Beginning We Created a Memorial…

It seems a bit odd and out of sync to be talking about an event that took place before the arrival of Covid 19 and social distancing. Today’s post relives the lovely memory of a 5K walk on a beautiful sunny day when we mingled freely without concern for our health, or our distance from those walking with us.

Our story begins in August of 2018 when we found ourselves in Edmonton for a 5K Memorial Walk/Family Reunion.We were recreating a similar walk held 12 years ago, only now it was to be in memory of our parents who had both been avid walkers. We planned a weekend of walking, reminiscing, eating and just generally enjoying each others company.

Twelve years ago we were a small but enthusiastic group.

The 2018 Weekend Plan:

A weekend long celebration including a picnic, tour of Edmonton, and a family dinner with moderate alcohol consumption. We will cap it all off with a spirited 5K walk on the Sunday.

It’s good to be Alberta bound

 Kerri and her husband drove to Edmonton, while Shauna, daughter Cayley, and Mag flew. We took a no frills airline out of a small regional airport both of which were new to us. Shauna, who can have an anxiety attack over a hang nail, meticulously planned our route to the airport and estimated timing. This was going to be a marvel of foresight and organization!

Unfortunately, we are confronted with Friday afternoon rush hour traffic and detours at every turn. Shauna does not handle this type of pressure well and tensions begin to rise. It is not helpful that the back seat occupants keep repeating “Relax, we’ll be fine.”

Even more upsetting, once we finally arrive at the airport, we can’t find parking and Shauna is now slightly apoplectic. It doesn’t help that there is a check in line up winding half way around the departure area. Shauna is increasingly apoplectic. In what seems like an eternity, we are finally seated in the plane (clearly being on time is not a priority for the airline) and Shauna is on the verge of vomiting…..

I Need a Drink

Our experience has been so harrowing and physically draining that almost immediately upon arrival at our hotel, we (Shauna, Cayley and Mag) head for the lounge.

The only other occupants are a large well lubricated group. Within minutes of being seated we have a visitor from the group who tells us among other things, that we are beautiful, he and his friends are celebrating in advance of a wedding tomorrow and he is in the wedding party. He is entertaining and funny, but his friends apologize and retrieve him. Within minutes he is back, telling us that we are beautiful. His friends retrieve him and confirm that he is not in the wedding party. Within minutes he is back and yes, we are still beautiful.

Mag is tired of it all, and approaches security. Our new friend is asked politely to leave us alone. He agrees and tells us we are beautiful as he is escorted out. Management is mortified and offers profuse apologies and free drinks. We graciously accept both.

The Saturday Morning Plan:

As an exercise in nostalgia, we decide to visit the West Edmonton Mall. Everyone else in our party is mysteriously busy and unavailable to drive us there, so our only alternative is the bus. Because we can’t remember the last time we were on one, we are now dealing with Serious Bus Stop Anxiety!

We begin our journey :

• We (Shauna, Cayley and Mag) ask the hotel reception for directions. We set out but are all confused, so we return to reception.
• We are again on our way when we realize that we haven’t asked about the schedule or the cost, so we return to reception.
• We ( actually only Shauna) begin to experience anxiety when bus after bus goes by and none of them are ours.
• While we are waiting, we scramble for change as Shauna regales us once AGAIN with tales of her University days scrambling for $.25 to take the bus, in freezing cold weather, blah blah blah…that story just never gets old….
• We arrive at the mall and can’t figure out which stop to get off…a friendly passenger helps us out.

West Edmonton Mall is HUGE! Shauna and Cayley wander aimlessly but Mag is on a mission……she needs a hoodie, and does she ever find a deal! The sleeves are too long and purple is not the best of colors on a redhead, but the price is amazing! Shauna is so impressed and envious that she too purchases a purple hoodie..and The Hoodie Twins are now officially “a thing.”

The Saturday Afternoon Plan:

There isn’t really a plan…… we just go to the park, gorge ourselves on delicious food and generally goof around.

The Saturday Evening Plan:

We take a trip down memory lane with an Edmonton highlights tour, and somehow end up back in the hotel lounge. Who knew?

Fortunately, the hotel management is still apologizing for the previous evening’s traumatic lounge debacle and we are offered a complimentary dessert tray. Our wedding guy friend walks by but he obviously doesn’t recognize us. What happened?……are we no longer beautiful ?

The evening lasts a bit longer than we originally intended and perhaps it is well past our bedtime when we finally call it a night. This does not bode well for tomorrow’s athletic endeavour…..

The Sunday Morning Plan:

It’s GO TIME! The day is beautiful…warm and sunny. Many of us have personal best times. Perhaps its because its easy to have a personal best when its your first ever 5K?

Too soon our weekend is over, but not before Shauna has an epiphany! We (Kerri, Mag and Shauna) have had so much fun and are so athletic that we need to take this to the next level. Her suggestion?? We should walk a 5K in every Province ( just to be clear, that is one Province a year…. so what if we are 80 years old and can barely walk by the time we finish up in Newfoundland!)…….and Senior Athletic Adventure Canada is born……everyone (well Shauna for sure) is astounded at the scope and breadth of such an unbelievably original idea and we know for sure that

Betty Would Love That!

We plan to publish a new post every Monday, so stayed tuned for our next one entitled “We’ll Never See These People Again”