There has been a change in the neighbourhood and we’re all getting an opportunity to put into practice the Great Commandment to love your neighbour as you love yourself.
The back story. We live on a boulevard, a fancy name for an extra big bay. There is also an elementary school on our boulevard. With the school comes school buses. The corner near us is fairly tight and the bigger school buses have difficulty making the corner and keeping off people’s front yard. This problem is compounded in the winter when there are snow banks everywhere and when people park their cars right around the corner. Now the road is super narrow, and the buses have pretty much no choice except to cut the corner across a neighbours front yard leaving very big and deep ruts.
To deal with this the city has taken action and this sign arrived yesterday.
The no stopping direction is from our driveway right around the corner towards the school
Seems like a good idea to handle the issue of making it easier for the buses to get around the corner. There are a lot of buses twice a day. But, this new signage has knocked out about 8-10 parking spots. For sure this will not be welcomed by quite a few people and willmake visitor parking much more awkward.
Enter the neighbour who has “issues” with the new parking restrictions. This neighbour had five cars, a long driveway and a two car garage. However, two or more of the cars are using the public road as their personal parking lot. Generally, two cars from this neighbour are parked overnight on the road and not in front of their house but in front of another neighbour’s house. This is not good etiquette at the best of times.
Within hours of the sign showing up there are many neighbours on the street expressing their thoughts on the signs, sometime quite heatedly. The ‘special’ neighbour is quite unhappy, voicing his opinion that I can park anywhere I want and I have lots of money to pay lots of tickets. Basically, “Bring it on!” This should be interesting.
A few more hours later, with several cars now parked in a no stopping zone, a police cruiser shows up. There are several more intense conversations with the police officer and many of the neighbours including the “special” neighbour. We find out on the grape vine later that the police were not there about the parking but because Mister “Special” has allegedly assaulted one of the other neighbours by splashing her with dirty water three time. She is in her 80s, had a stroke and uses a walker.
This morning the city is back and there is an addition to the controversial sign in an effort to clarify things. ?
I’m a “NEW” sign, just in case you didn’t notice.
So far tonight there is one car in the “no stopping zone”. I’m guessing that a few folks have called that in.
And then there is this. I didn’t really think this whole issue would affect me but a car has pulled up in front of our house and parked in front of a fire hydrant. The occupants went down the street to Mr. “Special’s” house.
Pretty sure this is too close to the fire hydrant ?
About an hour later I’m in the back yard with a friend BBQing some steaks and we notice a City of Winnipeg Parking Enforcement car stopped at the end of our driveway.
Sure enough the car above got a ticket and another car in the “new” no stopping zone got a ticket.
Just to be clear, we did not call in and complain (rat them out). The timing seems a little funny and either somebody in the hood called it in or the City automatically ups the monitoring in areas where parking are restrictions are changed.
We’re now thinking we can rent our driveway out for parking. What do you think?
Update: 2023/05/16
Sometime overnight, under the cover of darkness, several of the new parking signs were “removed”!
The place where the sign used to be. Hmmm.
The neighbourhood grape vine confirms that three signs were uprooted and tossed into the school yard around the corner. I noticed a City of Winnipeg Parking Enforcement vehicle drive by this morning so I guess the city is well aware of the situation. Seems like things are heating up. I wonder what’s next?
God will fill us with His love and hope and with His Spirit. Our Almighty God uses difficult times. He leads us to Jesus and conforms us to be greater than any challenge.
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
It’s hard to believe, but we may find ourselves leaving behind springs of water when we pass through the desert (Psalm 84:6.) Imagine that. You’re in a low spot, tired and weary, walking through a desert season in life, but you look behind you and notice that every place you have stepped is becoming lush, filled with life. In front of you, you see dry places, but behind you, you see life. If you’re a parent or a mentor with someone following you, they get a completely different view. Imagine what it looks like from their perspective. They’re in a desert, too. It’s hot and tiresome, but they look up and see flowing waters. Your willingness to fight changes others’ perspectives. People see you running to your Father even when it’s tough, and those who follow you may be filled with life.
You know how you can sense when you’re about to fart? You just know you have a second or two to decide if you can let fly safely. Perhaps your in a close quarters situation and you can attempt to hold it in to avoid any potential embarrassment.
I have those sensations of an impending fart but discretionary farting is no longer an option. The air flows freely and somewhat noisily as it reverberated around in the bag. Sometimes it’s no big deal and other times you want to crawl under a rock. Such is life these days.
Another exciting experience is waking up in the morning to discover you’ve apparently been farting quite a bit during the night. The bag is full and bulging like you have the Hindenburg attached to your stomach and it’s trying to lift off! All hands on deck! Prepare for an emergency evacuation!
I recently learned of the passing of my friend Gary Wilstrop who was a very big influence in my life during my teens and twenties.
I’d lost touch over the year until I learned that Gary was in the HSC hospital from a mutual friend. Shirley and I went and visited only to learn that a guy who had the world by the tail was a partial paraplegic as the result of a dune buggy accident. We visited a couple of times and then lost touch again as Gary & Donna moved to Neepawa to be close to their daughter.
Every once in a while I’d google him to see if I could learn anything. This morning I did.
Gary Michael Willstrop
May 20, 1940 ~ October 16, 2022 82 Years Old
I’m saddened but left with so many good memories. I’ll try and capture a few of them here
It started on Bereton Lake in the Whiteshell where my parents had a cottage right next to the Willstrops. Mr & Mrs Wilstrop, Gary & Donna and Walt & Joan (Gary’s sister). Gary was a cool, outgoing, fun loving and adventuresome guy and the whole family took a young teenage me into their lives. We spent countless weekend hours together in spite of our 12 year age difference. I’m not sure how they put up with me hanging around so much but they did and I’m glad for it.
Memories
Tea and Toast. In the early evening I’d go next door and climb up on a few stones so I could poke my nose into their living room window. More often than not the whole family would be sitting around the one dining table having tea and toast before bed. I’d get invited in to join the group and hangout with the adults who were all telling stories, jokes and laughing so much.
Sailing. One year Gary & Donna got a sailboat, a very nice mahogany Y Flyer. Nobody exactly knew how to rig or sail the thing but Gary new a guy. A fellow on the lake also had a Y Flyer, the only other one and he became the sailing instructor. Ever change I got I went sailing with them and learned the ropes myself. Hanging out on the trapeze was the best. During the week I remember washing the sails and vanishing the inside of the hull as a way of earning my keep in the hopes of more sailing adventures.
Gary and Walt had matching red Honda Trail 90 motorcycles. What teenager doesn’t want to ride a motorcycle? There were many adventures riding various trails around the lake and occasionally I got to drive! Underage and without a license. ?
Grouse hunting. Guns! Another magnet for the younger me. Gary had 410 and 12 guage. When I was allowed to go hunting with Gary, Walt and Mr. Wilstrop I remember having to get some high top boots for tromping around the bush. I don’t remember anyone getting any grouse but many hours were spent looking and just hanging out was it’s own reward. I was just tagging along and never had a gun. But, one day, Gary decided I should try the 12 guage and attempt to shoot a floating javex bottle some 10′ off the end of the he dock. I still remember the kick! Three shots later and the javex bottle was never in any danger.
On my 18th birthday my Dad gave me a 22 rifle. Thanks Dad! I’m pretty sure mom wanted no part of that gift. A new gun, in December, and no place to try it out. Gary call me up and says to come over on a Saturday to their hours in Westwood and dress warm. We get on his snowmobile, with our 22s, and ride down the street, through a field, across the perimeter and out into the country.
