M in Mount-Pleasant, an update

I recently brought this post back to life from the Vault and you can find part one, written in October 2020 here. I thought it may be fitting to continue with my current perspective on the memories of this fantastic sunny day in my beloved neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. It all started at the farmer’s market and now here we are walking down Main street.

As far as I can tell, many of these small commerces are still open although they must be struggling. It helps that the lockdown measures have not been as strict as in Quebec for example, you can see people enjoying beers and meals at pubs everywhere, each table separated with plexiglass.

I recently read about how unlikely it is that diners follow the rules by coming from the same household with people living alone allowed to include two friends in a bubble to dine with and it really is unreasonable to expect the establishment to check at the expense of their profit margins. Many are frustrated because there is no reward to refuse to take andvantage of this loophole save for a good conscience.

One example of rebelion is about two colleagues in proximity for long shifts who really don't see the point in following this guideline for obvious reasons. Consequently, they have a beer together after their shift.

M. is still in Vancouver, she has decided to prolong her stay and found a demanding job at a grocery store. We were supposed to meet today but she is very busy getting her paperwork in order, driver’s licence, etc. She must feel completely exhausted.

Back when I was showing her around Mount-Pleasant, she had bought a dog toy for her sister at a particular shop where the treats are carefully prepared for our beloved canine friends. I’m sure the idea of giving them this sort of pure eye candy is not new, but it most certainly is charming.

I think M. was being quite mischievous with her squeaky present, imagining her sibling’s home being drowned in an annoying sharp noise. I love it!

I understand that e-commerce is amazingly convenient, especially now, but I urge everyone to encourage their local shops as much as possible. A simple teller job is filled with human interactions whereas packing up deliveries seems a lot lonelier. We should embody the world we want to live in and it starts with every small choice we make. I believe that together we can make society a better place and preserve the underrated retail and service industry.

To be there in person on a sunny day, browsing about, has an instantaneous therapeutic effect as it is both uplifting and smart.

A lineup at Welk’s was a sight for sore eyes, this shop is a general store that favours ethical commerce and brands like Tom’s from Maine. I feel very strongly about it because: say you purchase a latex oven mit, the longer it holds up, the less waste in the landfill. Quality objects are number one in my book. I bought a mini broom and dustpan there a while ago. They look good and work so well!

Meet is a vegan restaurant, gotta love the pun.

It’s really hard to have an opinion about measures in times of Covid, are they justified, are they backed by scientific proof? Have our hospitals simply become too luxurious and lack the grit of the World War II era where a nurse could take notice of 6 beds at a single glance?

All I can say is that I am glad that we have been doing OK here in BC. I have been close to my gay brothers in California through online groups such as yoga and meditation, to them, much of this seems like a mirage.

Back at the farmer’s market, I had bought vegan bacon. It was delicious and well seasoned but challenging to cook since the sugar caramelized in the pan. It became a little tough as well.

I had the veggie sausages which tasted amazing but were a bit mushy. They needed more of that wheat protein. It’s hard to compete with Field Roast or the Beyond brand but I would have them again just for their unique flavour profile.

It has meant the world to me to have M. by my side. I have seen her many times since that wonderful day. I love her dearly and appreciate her artistic nature. She gave me some Vega protein the other day, a freebie from her store and with little time to hang out, I walked her home for over an hour and back. Gillian was waiting for our weekly workout which ended up happening at 11 PM.

M. was very chatty during that stroll, I was so happy to listen to all her anecdotes as she tends to be on the quiet side. However, since she moved here, she has had a lot of conversation which is really cool. She apologized at some point for talking about mundane stuff. I told her that I loved to hear what she had to say and it made her smile. She is very sweet indeed.

Take good care of your friends, don't hesitate to make them feel special and if there is a boring lull in their company, that is fine because after all, we are stronger together.