Limits

Yesterday Gail took me to see Niagara Falls - they did not disappoint and neither did the butterfly sanctuary we went to next. It was an extraordinary contrast from the sheer force of nature to its most delicate creation. I took too many pictures and had to start getting ruthless, "No Gail, not another blue one - I have three", but it was so tempting.

On the way back we got onto a skyway (so much more romantic that a bridge), I confessed I loathed Pink Floyd and was almost decarred. Luckily Van the man came on with Brown Eyed Girl and we settled into happy tuneless harmonies and head banging.

I remember the feeling in Wisconsin of the USA being a place without limitations and I get the same sense here. It is those giant skies, endless highways and the constant 'can do' attitude of everyone I meet. I think I have made of chain of limits for self recently and I need to snap it and start believing again.

Talking of believing - Gail's husband Jess is a real life cowboy. He grew up in the West of Canada and nightly tells me stories of riding the range, the Calgary stampede and a life that seems so exotic and strange that I sit open mouthed. He also has an evil sense of humour and occasionally drops in a tall tale or joke, which he tells with  a deadpan face, only the quick flick of his eyes giving away that it might not be true.

Though I would share one of the tales with you.

Jesse had a prize bull and the Mother Superior of the local convent came and asked if they could use him to cover their two milk cows. Being a nice man Jesse said of course and Mother Superior said she would send two nuns to collect the bull when the cows came into season.

There had been a spate of rustling and Jesse checked off all his forty heifers but couldn't find the bull. Then he remembered the nuns and headed of to the abbey. When he got there he found four nuns covered in cow dung, wimples awry and in a terrible state. Mother Superior came out and started berating Jesse, "Your bull is no good! Take him away. He is useless."

Jesse said,"Hold on a minute. He is prize bull and knows what he is doing."

"No he doesn't. Three times we laid the cow down and he just walked away!"

love and light

xxx