It’s easy to do nothing
And
accept things as they stand
Or
you risk some disappointment
If
there’s something you have planned.
For,
though change is often healthy,
There’s
a chance that you’ll regret it
And
so, prior to commitment,
Many
simply say, “Forget it!”
If,
like me, you can’t move forward,
Reach
inside and, with some luck,
You
may find some untapped power,
Just
enough to get unstuck.
Our final night in Montreal,
To
take a break from fries,
We
saw a nice Italian place
We
thought we’d patronize.
We
ordered salad, beer and wine
And,
perfect for our sharing,
An
interesting pizza
Which
they took their time preparing.
When
it came out, we were surprised
For,
though it looked enticing,
It
was a perfect circle
Which
no one had started slicing.
The
waitress then provided
Not
a slicer like we know,
But
a special sharpened scissor
Which
went smoothly through the dough.
The
pizza was delicious,
Cooked
to absolute perfection,
Which
we happily devoured
As
we snipped each brand-new section.
A
tiramisu finished off
A
most amazing meal,
With
our unexpected scissor-slices
Part
of the appeal.
Walking a city that isn’t your own,
While part of a group or a couple, alone,
You notice the buildings, the shops and cafes,
All prepped and inviting to welcome your gaze.
Of course, more than harbor or castle or steeple,
When strolling along, you take note of the people
And try to pin down, from their looks and their styles
How their difference from you stems from more than just miles.
Though the natives see “tourist” as you walk the streets
And indulge in the sights and the views and the eats,
Most accept your existence with little regard,
As you soak it all up in their very backyard.
At a history museum
By the hearth there was a spit
With a slatted-wood contraption
By a rope attached to it.
When we read the explanation
We were totally surprised.
The contraption was a cage
In which a small dog exercised.
Like a hamster wheel, the dog would run
In circles so the meat
In the spit would turn, which helped
To make the cooking more complete.
With this mean but slick solution,
What was roasting would not burn,
But I hope at least the dog would get
A taste of what he’d earn.
A hands-on workshop was such fun
In Montreal today.
We made real bagels, all from scratch
In a yummy, local way.
Our teacher made us feel at home
(Makes sense - he lives there, too!)
As, patiently, he demonstrated
What we had to do.
Eleven of us washed our hands
And tied our aprons on,
Then measured the ingredients
And mixed ‘til they were gone.
We kneaded and then shaped the dough
With Will to supervise,
Then watched them boil and added seeds
And, much to our surprise,
We made delicious bagels
And our group felt really proud!
As a born and bred New Yorker,
I was thrilled and also wowed.
If you visit Montreal, make sure
You find Will’s class and go
For a wonderful experience
That will delight you so!
We bought our Global Entry cards
In pre-pandemic days,
Believing they would ease our travel
In some helpful ways.
But Covid hit soon after
So those cards were never used,
Yet when our trips resumed
Our pre-check status was refused.
The US airlines never gave
An explanation why,
But we kept trying every time
We purchased seats to fly.
Today, though, on Air Canada,
An agent made a catch -
My boarding pass and entry card
Were not a perfect match.
It seems there are 9 digit codes
(2 sets!) on every card
And entering the wrong one
On a form was not that hard.
The problem solved, we got new passes
And were on our way,
With pre-check status never given
By the USA.
When plans are made, you hope they stick,
That no one will be getting sick,
Because for every date you pick,
A better one is waiting.
The weather might be filled with rain
Or someone could be stuck with pain,
But if you’ve planned, at least you gain
No more anticipating.
There never is a perfect time
When factors - family, health and clime -
Create conditions so sublime
There’ll be no hesitating.
