Spring Walk

Ever since DW became obsessed with pickleball, she's been looking for venues where she can work in a session. Her regular club meets every Tuesday but she's started signing up for Friday and Sunday games.

For the past few weeks, she's managed to get in to a Friday session in Old Ottawa South, where pickleball is held at Hopewell Public School. And afterward, she and a friend go for drinks and a snack at Patty's Pub, a few blocks away.

DW has always invited me to join her, afterwards, but because we only have one car at the moment (Kid 1 has our CR-V while she's at school in the GTA), it's impossible for me to get to Old Ottawa South.

Last Friday, she invited me to meet with her again, and again I reminded her that I had no way to get to that part of town (I wasn't going to pay for an Uber ride and our public transit system would take too long).

"Why don't you come with me," she suggested. "Bring a camera and take photos of the area."

It was a brilliant idea. Last Friday, temperatures were in the low 20s and the sun wouldn't set until nearly 8:00. I've been meaning to get out with my camera, which has gathered dust during the winter months.

I agreed to come along. "I can also grab us a table just before you finish your pickleball," I added.

I walked around Old Ottawa South, capturing graffiti, store fronts, and anything that caught my eye. I shared some of those images a couple of days ago, for Wordless Wednesday.

I eventually made my way northward, to the Bank Street Bridge, and crossed the Rideau Canal into the Glebe, where I wandered around Lansdowne Park and the Frank Clair Stadium, where I was surprised at my ability to get into the south-side stands.

I'll share those photos in a future post.

As the sun set, it started to cool down and I wasn't wearing a jacket, so it was time to keep moving. I made my way to Queen Elizabeth Driveway and toward the underside of the Bank Street Bridge. Not having a tripod, with the waning light, I braced myself against a tree and took my final shot of the evening.

I'm hoping that DW plays pickleball again, this evening, and wants me to come along. I might wander through other neighbourhoods.

Happy Friday!