Signs of spring
Some days bring change. Of all sorts. For example, today I put away my winter parka and returned to trusty Goretex. The impending rains might have had something to do with that choice, but the thermometer did make it into double digit territory for the first time in a long time.
And when I came in the driveway, the gravel had emerged from the ice. A positive thing. Up in the tree top (our linden), a bird. Hanging onto the branch, but visible. That red breast; it signals spring in this part of the world, long before the big melt.
A fair sight. He flew away before I could get the telephoto lens out, but that confirms the “not a figment of my imagination” aspect.
And then, the real show. We had an election today. More exactly, one hundred and twenty-five of them, all meaningful. And as a fervent supporter of democracy, I was in place when the “returns started to come in”. From a 0-0-0-0 score, up, and then down, and then up. By 20h15, Radio-Canada was willing to admit to a tendency. By 20h30, the tendency was renamed, to a fait accompli. We’re changing governance.
As of tomorrow, spring cleaning begins. A new cabinet. A new focus on policy and expenditures. A marked movement away from divisive tactics and dreams.
Mind you, reporting an electoral evening can be slow. Here we are, coming up on three hours of ballot counts, analysis and speeches. The results are almost clear. What remains is to see whether or not the outgoing prime minister will announce that the change is complete.
