It was a wild weekend.
And I find I can’t even begin to write about our outdoorsy fitness activities without mentioning the horrors of the fascist government south of us.
I’m also very aware these days that although this blog is based in Canada and almost all of our bloggers are Canadian (Catherine and Mina are in the United States), the majority of our readers are American.
So this post flip flops between what we’re doing and what’s going on, because that’s kind of how my life feels these days.
Some normal life and life activities, working and working out, cooking, and playing cards with friends and family alternating with reading, watching, and listening to political news that’s pretty horrifying. I’m thinking of American friends and colleagues with love and fear.
I’ve been away working in Ottawa last week and will be there this week too. Sarah and I are spending time in the middle at the farm. We were with family and some of Mallory’s friends here on the weekend.
Saturday was freezing cold. Sunday was a snowstorm.
And in the midst of it all ICE shot and killed a young nurse who was helping a woman during the protests in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, 37, was pushed to the ground and shot 10 times. We’re all horrified.
Read about it here.
So it was a fun weekend but it was also a hard weekend as we worry about what’s happening in the United States.
Saturday was so cold that I considered staying in. But I also felt the need to get outside in nature, in the fresh air, in the sun, no matter how cold it was. So we went for a hike in our snow shoes and even though it was pretty chilly, I felt better afterwards. Sun helps. Movement helps. Company helps.
I understand why the people of Minnesota are outside protesting in the cold temperatures. I’d be there too.
We’ve also been cooking lots of familiar comfort food: veggie chili and cornbread, general tsao tofu and rice with broccoli, scrambled eggs, French toast, soup and grilled cheeses.
It wasn’t all old and familiar. We did try the viral two ingredient “cheesecake” that’s been making the rounds.
Also, I read this in The Atlantic about what’s going on politically in the United States: “Yes, It’s Fascism: Until recently, I thought it a term best avoided. But now, the resemblances are too many and too strong to deny.”
Here’s a gift link. I recommend it.
And here’s a photo of Sarah, Susan, Mallory, and me frolicking in the snow.
One of the social media threads that made me smile this weekend was people listing online communities that don’t normally talk about politics that are now full of angry anti-ICE speeches. From road cycling reddits, and nail polish sites, to porn user groups, and bird watching forums, people are saying that enough is enough.
Here’s two examples:
I guess we’re adding feminist fitness sites to the list. To be fair, Catherine has posted about the horrors and the protests already from the perspective of someone on the inside. She’s a US citizen, working and living in the Boston area. See Not-very-wordy Wednesday: When all else fails, go to the library and Civic action, costumes, dogs and steps, too: just a regular Saturday.
If you want to do something to help the people of Minnesota, but you’re not sure what, here’s a list of places to donate.
“Minnesota is under occupation by federal agents from ICE and CBP, and we need your support. Across Minnesota, ICE continues to stop, harass, and detain people regardless of their citizenship status. Normal life in Minnesota has been interrupted, as schools have been forced to close or go virtual, as people live in fear of leaving their homes or going to work. Minnesotans are organized and activated to respond to this violence. But they need our help. “
