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A Puslinch Diary Today was November 13, 2000. Municipal election day in Ontario. It was a typical November day--cold and drizzling, but I went out and did my bit for local democracy. I got to the Puslinch Community Center at about 2:30 and took the following picture:  Outside there was a strong odor of pig manure in the air, but that is just one of the pleasures of country living. Inside there didn't seem to be a lot of voting being done, just chatting. I didn't know which station to go to so the scrutineer who was chatting at the door quickly grabed my registration card and sent me to my poll, so she could continue her conversation. I found my poll. When I presented my card the scrutineer on the left asked, after seeing my name, "Are you Lisa's son?" I said, "No, I'm not". The scrutineer on the right said, "Oh I know who he is. He's Lish's son." She turned to the right and said to her partner, "Remember she used to canvas for the Cancer Society." I admitted to being Lish's son, but somehow that didn't matter. The scrutineer on the right had won a contest of which I was a part of, but not privy to. On my way out I met Duncan McFarlane. He was chatting with someone, but when he saw me he turned away to ask me how I was. I told him that my leg was fine now. Driving by his home, I had waved to Duncan many times over the summer months, but hadn't spoken to him since last spring, when I helped him load a wheelchair on the back of his pickup. He is a neighbor who lives about a mile away. Last January I fractured my leg and before I was out of the hospital Duncan had delivered a wheelchair to our house from his church which provides such services. I don't know how he had heard that my leg was broken, but my wife and I were glad that the Puslinch grapevine was working so well. I used the chair every day for almost three months. Outside the air was still fragrant with pig manure. I can walk, I have caring neighbors and the fresh air in Puslinch always smells good. |