The Unbearable Lightness of Traveling

I could so easily become addicted to travel. I have done a fair bit of it in my life. Perhaps what I love best about it is the freedom - the lightness that comes with "no fixed address" and no responsibilities. It's just me and my dog and the open road. Nothing else really matters. There's no job to go to, no house to keep clean, no one to satisfy and no one's expectations to be met except perhaps my own - and when I'm on the road those expectations are very few. Just a meal and a bed at the end of the day.

This is lightness. I began to crave this lightness when I was young. I think I was ten or eleven the first time I packed what I thought I might need ( a sandwich and a change of underwear) and decided to head west - maybe hop a freight train. I wanted to tame a wild stallion and gallop with him over the rolling foothills of Alberta. Grow up a wild woman. I didn't get far - in fact, no one even knew that I'd set out. But the intention was there.

I was 18 when I really did set out - with a friend. We had a small overnight bag each, a couple of bus tickets and a bit of change in our pockets. We lived in Toronto, took the bus to the 401 and stuck out our thumbs: destination: New York City. We never made it - we did, however get to Montreal, Quebec City and Winnipeg. We had adventures.

I've had many more adventures since. I still love taking off.

And so, I've packed most of what I need. I will finish packing tomorrow and leave on the 12.45 ferry.

Happy day!

earth

I'm an odd combination of earth and sky person - maybe because I was born on the cusp of an earth and air sign. (if you put credence in that sort of thing.) Maybe that's why my favourite thing in the world is hiking in the high alpine - earth and sky.

And I love getting into the garden and really working at it - that's what I did this morning. Working in the earth grounds me and makes me feel good. So, truthfully, I'm not really that upset that my morning interview was a no-show. I sowed more lettuce seeds, hoed, weeded, cleaned out the strawberry bed, weeded some more (does it ever end?), put down more straw, trimmed the runners and watered the raspberries and the vegetable garden.

In the background, Paul and his crew were haying - nothing says summer more than making hay.

I love gardening in the sun. Oh sure, I'll go out and do it in early spring but only because I have to, not because I want to. On a day like this I look for excuses to get out there.

So far it's been a grand way to spend my second last day here.

Two more sleeps!

getting ready

Quite frankly, I'm surprised at how much I have to do to get ready for my trip - seems like a million details. Updated my laptop today and that took a good chunk of time. Culled my library and pulled out about 20 books to bring to my mom. Need to remember to bring all the dog things - everything from her favourite toy to her rabies certificate to poop bags. Need my passport and all my electronics and CDs and hiking gear and energy bars and passport and.....

the full list is huge.

On the bright side I got my banking done and my last minute shopping done. I just need to do my last gardening tomorrow, which includes setting out the new strawberry plants and sowing another bed of lettuce to be ready when I get back.

Need a manicure. Abby needs a pawdicure. Yes, it will all get done.

And then the joy of leaving - when it's all done and I don't have a care in the world other than to court adventure - and believe me - a-courting I will definitely go.

Happy

I am feeling pretty close to deliriously happy today. And, interestingly, it's not anything big that's causing this feeling. It's just the richness of the small things. The sun is shining, the door is open to the air and the light; Abby and I strolled through the fields and woods; I rescued a mama robin and sent her back home to her babies; I weeded, pruned and watered the garden - all the while feeling the heat of the sun on my skin. And now I am going to get a few things ready for my trip (4 more sleeps!)

Everything, but everything, is conspiring to make me feel good deep inside.

Including the bowl of ripe, red, sweet strawberries I just picked in the garden.

Quiet day - love it.

Full weekend

I've had a full weekend and I'm tired. I'm ready for an early night and a day of working not so much tomorrow.

P flew over today and we had a nice shopping trip to the Cedar Farmer's Market. Have I mentioned recently that it's a great market?

Bought some amazing artisan bread from Bodhi - also tomatoes and strawberries. Picked lettuce from the garden and had a great lunch of yummy bread and salad. In fact, it was so good that I am going to have the same for dinner. Why ever not? This is the joy of living alone - I can have the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner as often as I want.

After lunch we walked with Abby and then toured down to Chemainus. All in all - a great day!

Five days to go....

And quite a bit that needs doing before I leave.

Looking forward to it. (duh - well, obviously)

Hiking

It was a perfect day for hiking the Cameron Lake Trail. Sunshine, mild temperatures - just heaven. Equally heavenly is getting back and feeling physically tired (how many of us only experience metal tiredness?) - then a hot bubble bath and fresh, comfy clothes - ahhhh.

Really - does it get much better? Oh yes - tomorrow we are flying to Tofino to walk on the beach. It's a good life!

Dang

Well darn it all - what more can go wrong today? Today - the day I had set aside for doing nothing, relaxing, watching a movie?

Okay - I did get the gardening done. But I refuse to wash my car with clouds like this overhead - that's just plain doing a rain dance, that is.

And just when I figured I could handle a sort of functioning iPhone for another 6 months, I stupidly decided to synch it. Fail! iTunes told me I had to restore it - so I said OK. And then, it started to do this crazy-making computer thing where it goes around in a circle and refuses to listen to reason! Can't restore - hardware problem. Ok - I unplug it. But then it tells me I can't use it until I restore it - but I can't restore it because..... sighhhhh.

Ok - all the way back up to Woodgrove to get a phone and pay the stupid fee. There - I feel so much better for mouthing off.

But I am so not going to do that until I've had lunch and a nap.

Anything else? Well - not really I guess. I leave a week from today. I am focusing on that. Oh yes - and then setting up my new phone later - grrrrrrr.

Deep breath.