Day 52.......nail-biting rugby.

Day 52.......nail-biting rugby.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases.

Yesterday saw an easy, quiet morning with a visit from the landlady and her hubbie to show me how to use the lawn mower. I am currently contemplating going out this afternoon and cutting the grass.....tomorrows blog will tell whether the contemplation evolves into actual action.
Andrew had organised for me to be picked up at Downsview subway station, to go see him play rugby. The fields that he plays in are innaccessible via public transport so it was great to be able to go, as it was a semi final for their cup. I google-mapped it to see how long it would take me so that I wouldn't be late and I headed out with an extra 5 minutes added on.
The way that the subway is, there is a line that runs west to east (Bloor line) which I had to go eastwards on....and I did. The other line runs north to south (University line) to Union Station and then (like a u shape) it runs north again Yonge line) There are2 points where you can change from the bloor line onto the university line (Spadina and St George) and 1 point where you can change from the bloor line to the yonge line (Bloor/Yonge)
Why am I giving you a lesson on the subway system? Because I had a bit of a senior moment and ended up on the wrong northbound train. For some reason, in my head, I thought I knew where Downsview was......at the end of the Yonge line. So I got the Bloor train to Yonge to discover that we needed to take shuttle buses north 4 subway stops due to subway maintenance. Once onto my second train, I looked at the subway map opposite my seat to work out how much longer it would take me. Thinking where is Downsview? I got up to take a good look at the map to discover that Downsview was the last stop on the Univerity line.....not the Yonge line......GROAN. By this time I am almost up level to it on the wrong line. (imagine a u and I'm near the top of the wrong upright) I jumped off the train at the next stop so that I could call my ride, convinced that I had blown it and I would be heading home again. The kids were great and said that they had to head East anyway so they would come pick me up at the next station North. There was a gas station, next to the subway, where they had to fill up, so I met them there 10 minutes later and only 15 minutes late.
They were lovely young people. Julie was driving. She used to play for the Toronto Scottish womens team and is still involved with them. Her brother Steve usually plays with Andrew but has a bad foot injury and there was another guy whos name (I'm ashamed to say) I did not catch. They all chatted away both on the way there and the way back. They also made sure that I sat with them for the time before the game despite my telling them that I'd be okay and that I had my book.
For the game itself, I went and stood under a tree trying to find a bit of shelter from the very cold wind that was blowing. The kids were with their friends and I was happy to just be by myself. The game got off to a great start with Andrew scoring the first try, in the first few minutes-yippee. Unfortunately, that was the only score that they got in the first half. The other team were ahead 17-5 when the half-time whistle blew. In Scottish's defence, the seagulls were stationary, in the air, trying to fly in the direction Scottish had to play during the first half. Very, very slowly and causing me to have a nail-biting urge, Toronto Scottish finally won 21-17 to find themselves in the final next weekend-yippeee.
Julie was 'frozen' and we didn't stick around for long enough for me to give Andrew a big hug but that was okay. It was wonderful to be able to watch him play rugby again and he had a great game.
Sorry to have bored those of you with no interest in rugby but it's part of my adventure.
The kids dropped me at Downsview station and I met Ali at Pizza Pizza to get our dinner. It was a cold, windy 5 degrees walk home at 6.30pm
We ate our pizza whilst catching up on some family comedy shows we had taped because our Netflix has been playing up. We eventually got it to work at 8.15 and watched a 'teen- movie' together before she headed off to bed and I began a movie marathon fuelled by a couple of glasses of Pino which expanded into several more. The problem with my bargain box of wine is that you can't see how much you have glugged. Still, there's no hangover and so I know that it wasn't too too much but I did fall asleep on movie number 4. I did take some notes for the screenplay :-)
So, now it's decision-time. I think the fact that the sun has come out means grass-cutting is on.
Much love to all,
Lxxx