The Gimli Getaway

I had my bags packed and by my door. It was a work from home day and that allowed for some casual dressing even beyond ‘casual Fridays.’ I had my black, ankle-length leggings, a shirt decent enough to do a video chat. I logged in and began counting down the hours. I already postponed this weekend twice. Someting came up and the second time, I had my vaccine appointment. I had Monday/Tuesday off and work ends at 4:30. I was ready.

A lot of my fondest memories came from the Lake Winnipeg Beaches. We spent a lot of time in Winnipeg Beach, staying with friends at their cottage, visiting others who had cottages in the area. So many Portuguese families either went or had cabins, you might as well call it ‘Little Portugal.’ We took day trips to Gimli, a 14 minute drive from Winnipeg Beach and both places an hour-and-a-bit out of the city. There’s Matlock, Hnausa, and other spots. Many them with Icelandic names given by the immigrants who setttled here in the 19th centry. One Saturday, my family waited as I cleaned the restaurant after closing, knowing I had a couple weeks off from the place. I signed out in a blur, then hopped into the famly car and headed directly to Winnipeg Beach. Gimli felt like a naturual choice for my personal outting and the hotel, a place I remembered getting built, a treat.

Much like that Saturday, as soon 4:30 came around, I said my good-byes on MS Teams, logged off, and took my things to the car. I packed my small luggage, usually a carry-on during airplane rides, and my blue gym bag with my books, bathing suit, and gear in case I wanted to try the hotel gym. I ended up wearing my blue bathing suit most of the time.

I took Friday to eat and settle in. I had asked for a room with the view of the beach when I made the reservation.

“Just to warn you,” said the front-desk clerk “You will have a view of the swimming pool.”

I laughed.

“No seriously,” she said, her voice sober “We had people complain.”

I assured her it will be fine and she said she will do her best to put me on the third floor. I woke up at 4:40, not out of design, but not able to sleep anymore. I sat outside watching the eastern sky brighen, sipping coffee, and planning to hit a farmer’s market up the highway.

The only piece of technology I took was my phone. I had the fourth book in the Outlander series, Drums of Autumn, as my ‘beach read,’ and my journal.

My room consisted of a pull out couch bed if I had more people, located in living room space, a bar fridge with a small sink, a table that could be used for dinner for a desk. The bedroom had a king-sized bed and enough pillows to make a fort.

The lake blunted the heat as I walked to a grocery store for some yogurt and healthier snack for the little fridge in my room. I went to Tergesen’s and bought a hat, walked to the grocery store to stock my fridge, walked the pier, floated in both the indoor and outdoor pool. The pool allowed booking in 50 minute blocks, once a day. I found out the quieter times, wiggled into my new, sky-blue, one piece and floated on my back most of the time in the pool. The outdoor half I used to dry off and read, all under blue skies dotted with puffy clouds floating around in a lazy manner as well.

The trip cleared the cob webs so to speak. It felt like 10 years rather than over 1 year working from home and Manitoba, currently going from worst (most cases to per capita) to part of a first (Canada kicking some ass vaccine rate wise, including us), feels like a province slowly trying out the things taken for granted, each dinner and drinks on a patio feeling like a baby step. Baby steps are the way to go and I have a feeling students will come back on campus with baby steps in the fall. I made the decision to return to campus full time starting in August. It’s been a long, difficult time for me and I want to move forward.

Gimli was the first step.