Only in Ottawa

Was in the Leadership Reflection and Action course this week - a 5-day experiential learning programme. The facilitators used many interesting simulations and exercises to help the class draw out leadership insights. Playing them as a participant and observing them as a designer has given me many ideas about activities that could be done back home.

It's tiring to be on course for 5 days though, so I was relieved when the weekend came. Not that I rested a lot - I just welcomed the time to sit back and think about what I have experienced in the last 4 weeks. Yes, it's been 4 weeks! So fast, huh?

It was a weekend to look forward to also because I arranged to meet Terry for tea (she's the lady I got to know while listening to al fresco jazz in my 1st week here). Of all places, we met at the Starbucks at Lord Elgin Hotel (deja vu) - closer to her apartment. She's 68, with a head full of white hair, so you can understand if she doesn't want to go too far for a nice cup of tea and some conversation. I found her sitting at a table by the sidewalk, stylishly decked out for our little appointment - a smart coat, matching brooch and earrings, and a youthful pixie haircut.

We had a lovely conversation over pumpkin spice coffee and cinnamon buns - stories about her family and mine, her love story with David, travelling the world, marriage, life in Singapore, her life in Ottawa (30 years!), cooking... time passed quickly. It wasn't all quiet and serene though - strangely enough, for the 2 hours we were by the sidewalk, we had 3 fire engines zoom past us at different times in 3 different directions (Terry says it was just for drills), a big black dog who howled with the sirens, and very dressed-up people walking all over from 2 weddings, plus another couple taking wedding photos. As Terry would say, this is a goofy place.

We parted ways after tea - she was going home to prepare to attend the opera with David (celebrating their wedding anniversary). So I took a walk, to nowhere in particular, and found myself strollling along the Rideau Canal. Yah, you know, I just kinda happened to stumble upon a World Heritage Site ;-)... I should definitely take a few more walks before it gets too cold. The Canal is too long for me to ever finish walking it, but I'm sure the fall colours will be dazzling.

What's a walk in the park without squirrels? If you know me and squirrels, you'd know that I have lots of trouble trying to photograph one. This time, I had 3 running around in close proximity of each other. I was almost dancing around on the grass with them! But I "caught" one just when it took a breather before leaping away. Donna tells me that only in Ottawa has she seen truly black squirrels; apparently the ones in Quebec are all grey or red. Whatever colour they be, they are all equally too nimble for me!