OMEGANS of 1949-50

Christie, Edwina & Neil

Life in our seniors' ghetto here in Guelph is like a calm port in a frightening storm. Canada is going through a steadily worsening second wave and Toronto is completely shut down. There are about 6,000 new cases every day in the country and that number doesn't seem to be going down. Clearly not everyone is obeying the repeated warnings about travel, gatherings, masks etc. especially in Quebec and Alberta while Ontario is close behind. In Guelph, however, we had only 33 new cases yesterday (although there are now about 133 active cases in the city). This means that many stores are open, the malls haven't been shut down and it is possible to walk by the river but not to have guests in the house. We are particularly fortunate because our daughter Christie managed to get away from Stratford=Upon-Avon on November 6 to come and stay with us for a couple of months. She quarantined in our basement and is currently enjoying her early retirement from teaching although she is still working on a book about Robert Lepage. So we are particularly lucky in being able to live a more or less normal life as we wait impatiently for the vaccine to arrive. What we miss, of course, is contact with the rest of our family. But the miracle of modern technology enables us to "Zoom" to Glasgow to talk to Lynne and the grandchildren. Anna has recently graduated with a degree in animation from Central St. Martins and has moved back to Glasgow with her boyfriend (also an animator) to try to start a career. It could hardly be a less auspicious time. Cameron, her brother, is also hoping to find work as an actor (with little luck so far). Even Mark is temporarily out of work having left the BBe. But he has joined a friend in a private production company and will be working out of a little studio he has rented. He is enjoying the freedom and the escape from the politics of the Corporation. These are not good days for anyone interested in the arts. We are both well. Edwina is delighted to have Christie to go shopping with (a kindred spirit in the bazaar). She tries to keep Neil active by insisting that he take her for a walk by the river. He does on sunny days, but would be perfectly content to spend all his time reading or watching the amazing fare on TV. Tonight it is the Stratford Festival production of "Caesar and Cleopatra" with Christopher Plummer! We hope you are keeping well and have as pleasant a Christmas as possible. We look forward to the time we will be able to meet face-to-face again - sometime in the uncertain future