Sunday in Vancouver

Another perfect spring day in Vancouver. Dean Peter Elliott's 4th day in Lent sermon at Christ Church Cathedral included a delightful story with great resonance. He preached that a Rabbi had told his disciple to put the Torah "on his heart". When the disciple asked why put it 'on' the heart and not 'in' the heart, the Rabbi replied, "it's because humans are so hard hearted. Putting the Torah on the heart it's there for when their hearts break and the Torah can fall in. "

Later at the DUG OUT in Gastown, a First Nations woman shared that "A man had fallen off a cliff at night catching hold of a branch. Hanging there he'd called to God to rescue him. He heard a voice say 'let go'. But he wouldn't let go and hung there all night long. In the morning he looked down and saw that he was only 2 inches from the ground."

The theme of the day seemed to be faith, letting go of fears and trust in God. Despite the long winter the spring had finally arrived as promised.

"My whole body aches. My legs hurt and even my bum hurts, " she said at the Mr. Pickwick's. We'd stopped for Queen Charlotte Island Halibut and chips after bicycling again around the seawall from Gastown. Our friend Marie, kick scootering home from a rehearsal for the Joni Mitchell song, Both Sides Now, joined us.

Together we watched the most competent Vancouver Police with their well disciplined horses ride through the busy traffic of Denman while all the little purse dogs barked bravely and ferociously from behind the legs and feet of their owners.

In Stanley Park, I quickly dismounted my bike and unholstered my camera when a family of racoons crossed the bike trail. At Lost Lagoon the geese, mallards and wood ducks enjoyed the ice free waters.

Dragging our sorry asses around English Bay we barely made it back . There's alot to be said for my 1200 cc Harley Davidson compared to winter flabberized 'shanks mare' power.

However tonight I'm going to enjoy the couch and ice cream guilt free and with just that added touch of smugness.