Getting around

I've been on the move and sleeping around.  For me, fortunately or un, the latter doesn't involve any awarkward wondering in the morning about who's head is on the pillow beside me.  I've been staying with Don and Mela for the last few days. Poor Don has spent the whole time wandering around, unable to sit for any length of time because of sciatic nerve pain. He's even had to eat standing up sometimes.  He hopes it will just go away, but if not he'll have to see a doctor next week.  Mela and I, on the other hand, have been busy in her garden and at nurseries.  We planted a beautiful crab apple tree in memory of Blake.  She's done a lot of work in the yard since they moved in and it's beautiful this June. We also went to a wonderful dinner with Miche and Paul at Les Fugères in Chelsea.  It has been remodelled since I was there with Jim.  Huge windows frame the trees and gardens that surround the building, so the interior is as bright and open as the outdoors.  The woodwork is all light and the bar is a sinuous line of pale coloured rammed earth that looks like a pastel wall of rock in a painted desert; the food remains delicious. Mela and Don will have lots of company staying with them in the next few months. Their house is suited for that because there are two spare bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. I have enjoyed being with them and hope that this time spent with family and friends will ease them into a new pattern of life. 

In a little while, Caroline will pick me up. I will spend the last days in Ottawa with them before taking the bus to Walkerton on June 14th. I was supposed to take the train but received an email from the never-to-be-counted-on VIA Rail this morning informing me of the fact that they are presently in negotiations with their employees' union and hope to avoid a strike. If unsuccessful, the latter could be out as of noon on June 13.  My ticket was for around noon on June 14.  As I have no faith in VIA's ever being on time, I was not about to count on their settling with their workers by Monday.  The email informed me that I could get a complete rebate if I cancelled, so I did. Then I went through the necessary hoops of phone calls and on line stuff to get a Greyhound ticket to Guelph.  I emailed Cathy about the changes and as she has no objections to meeting me at the bus instead of the train station, I'm back on track/highway for Walkerton.

It sounds as if a whole chaos of grandchildren await, so the last week of my visit in the east will be very different from the first.

Barb Steers delighted by her birthday cake at the surprise party Crofton and Nick organized for her at The Mill in Wakefield

One of the boats at the races in Gananoque that I went to with Miche and Paul.  We got right into the pits.  Note that the prop. is covered; they all were.  

Caroline and Mela at the Stoney Swamp nature trail.

Me with Mela at the same spot in front of the beaver house.