Nice to see you (in my dreams)

I had dream after dream last night that I left Winnipeg and moved back to Toronto. These were vivid and detailed dreams, all the elements were just right-- my friends and family sounded and acted just as my friends and family do and city looked and felt exactely as it does (in my imagination at least). I must have seen you all in those dreams 'cause I swear I went to at least ten dinner parties in the span of my 8 hours of sleep! It was thrilling, I was so happy to see everyone again and to not be bothered with the barrage of insecure thoughts that seem to accompany the experience of meeting new people day in and day out, I felt normal, even my laugh sounded more like my own (if that makes sense...). Everyone looked so beautiful and fun, I remembering just staring at your faces-- taking in every line, shade and feature.

Leaving these dreams for reality was not a pleasant experience. No, I had not returned home but rather woke to find myself smack dab in Winnipeg, the same city I fell asleep in. Facing the task again of embracing a life where there are far, far more unknowns and far less comforts. None the less the drive for coffee neccesarily kicked in and off to the hippie christian cafe I went!!! AHH, what a very strange life this is. Later in the day, I got myself a YMCA membership and was delighted to find the gym/pool housed in one of these big ol' Winnipeg buildings with beautiful architecture that makes you feel important or healthy or something. So tomorrow I will swim and steam in hopes of releasing some of my consistently unrealistic expectations of what life is and should be, i.e fun and dramatic and inspiring, etc.

I know I said I would write about Temple Grandin but I switched books last night (now reading, The Diviners-- a Prairie classic) and have temporarily lost touch with the autism/animal world.

See you in my dreams...

P.S. People here continue to tell me about this 'something' quality that Winnipeg has, a quality that makes itself apparent after you stop missing home... I am still in search of it but promise to report back as soon as it begins to emerge.