Back Home Again

Travelling makes change. You see new things. You see old things in a new way. You, the traveller are changed.
We flew to Ontario and enjoyed being with friends in their hometowns. We became familiar with our nation's capital and the beautiful parliament buildings. We walked in the old roads of La Vielle Quebec. We drove a lot, but less than last year when we toured the prairies.
Our kids had some good times. We let them sleep in and eat some junk food. They saw Shakespeare in Stratford, the Museum of Civilization and Stomp in Montreal.
It was not a shopping holiday. Nary a wool shop. I worked on my first toe-up socks while we drove and in the plane. I did not feel much like a knitter. I met no other knitters. No Toronto shops at all.
But I read three books and I enjoyed walking and visiting. We were together a lot and putting forth our argument that D. doesn't get to pick everything. Not a real democracy, but the kids are getting older and should have some respect and voice.

So I'm back home. A lovely home with a loving dog. A greater chance of eating healthy food that does me good. A chance to go to sleep early. The three hours time change wasn't so bad, but the strenuous travel did a bit of a case on us anyway.
So I have most of two weeks before my next course starts. The kids are in music camp during the day so I have a wee bit of freedom. I got my poor flute back. More on that later. I'm getting ready to start the log cabin baby blanket.
Hope the summer is rich and deep for everyone as it starts to linger and fade.

The Corn Is As High

I'm packed and ready to fly out. But now I have to take a picture of the sunflower field before I go. And will the blackberries be finished? Isn't this light breeze temperate. I am ambivalent about leaving my beloved Fraser Valley. The corn in this field is edged with amazing sunflowers. Next year I'm growin me some. The food value is similar to our cattle corn silage, but the aesthetics surpass.
I wrote my final last night. Whew. That was scary saving it and emailing it to my instructor. It's the first test I didn't finish. Really. The first test ever. But I wrote the essay, did the research and all but two short answers. Citing websites. No confidence. Ran out of time. Then this morning I found I hadn't submitted a final Learning Assignment. Not good for the blood pressure. But I managed to pop it off before driving to Tswassen to pick up my son from the ferry. I can't abide holiday traffic!
With great nagging and threatening, I got the kids to pack and pack lightly. It was easier when I just did everything myself. D. still hasn't packed. No I didn't prepare your underwear. You are an adult. I am not your mother, and I am not YOUR mother. There may have been a time when I lumped him into the kids. But no longer. If they have to meet minimum standards of survival, he can suck it up, too. Did I mention I was writing a 3hour final?
So now we head off to Eastern Canada. I was born in Ontario, though I have no real memories before my 3 year old train trip to BC. My first ancestor came over from Ireland to fight on the Plains of Abraham. I think I'll get choked there.
This year we will be visiting friends, and I'll make D. let the kids sleep in a bit.
Now that my course is done, I have a month to catch up on writing and reading. A poem a day? I don't think I'll be so strict.
I'll still have 2 weeks after we come back. All the school supplies and clothes are bought. I even have my mother-in-law's September birthday gift.
Just relax and fly out over the beautiful valley.

Apologies

I just got carried away, I guess. Yesterday I was a bit impatient with this program and hit the button twice. Two-for-one blogging. Sorry.
Now is the crunch. I have piles of clothes for packing and I'm on the verge of diving into my last revision before my final exam tonight. I'm not worried like I used to be. I'm not afraid of failing, or even of getting a lower grade. I want to do well, sound intelligent and complete it in the time alotted. In nursing school, everything was so frantic and competitive. But the girls who did well on exams didn't necessarily make better care givers.
This librarian study has a lot of lateral thinking and making connections. I love that. It's like my poetry. Things just crop up and put themselves in the wrong place. Juxtaposition for a purpose.
So I'm going to start the bobsled.
I hope to post regularly as we travel to Ontario and Quebec. But if I don't, I aplogize.

High Season

These are the long, warm, drowsy days of summer. We walk in the early morning to avoid the worst of the heat. It is pleasant now, with a gentle breeze. Good for making hay.
When I was younger, my sister and I were the sons and we would help my Paw bring in the hay. Sometimes Mom would drive the tractor. I would throw the bales onto the wagon, my sister would pass them to Paw and he'd stack. The perfect, strong, never to fall stack of hay bales. She could throw a bale over her head, up three levels. Then I would unload the wagon, placing the bales on the greedy hay elevator for the poor guys in the hay mound, or loft. There was no air up there.
Now, I can barely stand to do my weeding in the heat. My kids don't go into the pool without sunscreen. We all have sunglasses. How strange. How civilized.
I do miss the long rambling horse rides through the hills. But I have my giant lab who walks with me and is very good company.
My birthday is the time of the tall corn, fresh berries and long days. I have to make sure I sit out in the shade on the deck and enjoy the outdoors today. And have a few blackberries. They are just coming ripe and the greatest indicator of the high summer.

High Season

These are the long, warm, drowsy days of summer. We walk in the early morning to avoid the worst of the heat. It is pleasant now, with a gentle breeze. Good for making hay.
When I was younger, my sister and I were the sons and we would help my Paw bring in the hay. Sometimes Mom would drive the tractor. I would throw the bales onto the wagon, my sister would pass them to Paw and he'd stack. The perfect, strong, never to fall stack of hay bales. She could throw a bale over her head, up three levels. Then I would unload the wagon, placing the bales on the greedy hay elevator for the poor guys in the hay mound, or loft. There was no air up there.
Now, I can barely stand to do my weeding in the heat. My kids don't go into the pool without sunscreen. We all have sunglasses. How strange. How civilized.
I do miss the long rambling horse rides through the hills. But I have my giant lab who walks with me and is very good company.
My birthday is the time of the tall corn, fresh berries and long days. I have to make sure I sit out in the shade on the deck and enjoy the outdoors today. And have a few blackberries. They are just coming ripe and the greatest indicator of the high summer.

Red Means Blessing

I finished the red alpaca kimono. By finished, I mean I'm ready to start the finishing. There were actually a lot of stitches in this sweetie because I chose such a fine gauge. But it is fine, and I am pleased. It will go together simply, when I fold it in half.

While it was blocking, I took my son to the ferry to walk on by himself. He's visiting an old friend just outside of Victoria. It's a blessing that he can travel safely on his own. Also that he has such a welcoming home to visit. This is his best friend from preschool who moved away when they were about seven. They are his other family. His friend is just as welcome here, but they both like it there better. I wish I was in Victoria- Beehive Wool Shop! The only Koigu I've ever seen.

I did a bit of shopping on the way home. I love Long and McQuade in Langley. I bought some flute music, but left them my flute to service. I feel a bit lost. I'd better break out the guitar tonight. I also bought some gifts-that-I'd-like-to-keep at Liberty's. What a blessing to have some time alone. My daughter was with her cousin.

My neice is here to placate the daughter and keep her out of my hair as I study for my imminent final. Give her mother a bit of a rest, too. I guess I'll be watching a movie on my laptop tonight as the girls will have the TV for videos. If I have time, I'll watch some of Ken Burns' Jazz. It'll be my third summer with that amazing series.

So... refreshed. Almost done one project. Ready to continue with the Socks That Rock in berry and the shawl I started, When? I meant to wear it to Scotland while I knit another, but that trip was postponed until we could get enough pipers. Next year? I'll pull it out to take on the plane.
It's a thistle pattern. And that, too is a blessing.