The Pool Was on Fire, I'm Glad I Came in Winter and More On Square Bowls

Lest you think I am just being cranky about bowls in a shape I am not used to using, I will point out that square bowls are even more perfect for projectile spilling!

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At first I wasn't thrilled about coming here in winter and having to drive in winter weather, but it's been a weird weather winter here, so snow and ice have not been a problem.  I am a tad worried about the warmer weather, though, because that is when the bike lanes will be occupied, and I am NOT good with seeing cyclists.  This is clearly a big cycling area, and that is something I don't have experience with, either.  

I was on a walk and was carefully observing all the street signs to try to get familiar with them.  I was in a bit of a daze and crossed a small side street without checking for traffic due to sign rubbernecking.  Oh, I thought, as I got closer to one sign I've seen around but didn't recognize, this one means vehicles have to yield to cyclists on turns.  Wow.  Okay.

In front of me, a cyclist crashed his bicycle to avoid being smashed by an SUV that completely failed to yield on the turn and also failed to slow down.  The guy's bike was wrecked, his leg was chewed up by the road, and he was obviously hurting.  The guy in the SUV stopped and got out.

"I slowed down and acknowledged you!" he said in an accent I didn't recognize, as he stood directly under the sign that said he had to yield.  Bike guy didn't want to make a fuss, even though his expensive-looking bike was toast, so I didn't  leave him my contact info in case he needed a witness for the police report.

It's so easy to miss people moving in different modes and speeds.  I need to be more aware when I'm crossing streets and super aware when I'm driving.  It's nervewracking. Way more potentially lethal than spilling soup all over the place.

I use the community therapy pools here a couple times a week.  Only 2 because they have weird hours.  I get that I'm not their target demographic, but some more reasonable evening hours would be nice.  And their schedules change at different intervals.  While I was checking for upcoming hours, I saw that a pool I hadn't looked at before had new Saturday hours starting today, and they were better than the other pool's Saturday hours.  I decided to give it a try.

When I pulled into the parking lot, there seemed to be a lot of people milling around outside, even though it was below freezing.  "Ah, these hardy Canadians just like chatting outdoors in February.  More power to them."  Then more and more people started coming out.  Then I saw someone waving people away from the building.  Then the first of the five fire trucks showed up and started connecting their water hoses, and I realized the pool was on fire and thus not available for therapeutic swim time.  As I drove away around the other fire trucks, I saw some ill-fated life guards in their sleeveless lifeguard tees and swimsuits standing on the grass.  25 degree weather.  No shoes or coverings of any kind.  Good thing I was not there earlier when the pool first opened up.  Also a good thing that the other pool's hours started later, so I was still able to get in some PT.  I probably should have offered them a place to warm up in my vehicle.

Not pictured

I walk into the #1 gift shop in Toronto.

I inhale.

I flee, unable to breathe.

Definitely the #1 most fragrant gift shop in Toronto.

: )