Here and There

The time leading up to our departure has been hectic. Loads of doc appointments, trips to the lake, time with family and friends. Here's a brief update.

My friend Lin came to visit from Columbus. She was my teacher in high school (theatre) and very influential in guiding me in terms of university and major. She's not that much older than I, so she is more like a big sister! 

We visited some of her old haunts -- places she'd lived and also the high school where she taught and where we met. (We tried to get in but with no appointment, security was having none of it!) Still, a good visit. Then a bit of shopping in Old Town and a lovely dinner with Rick and another friend. All good.

Then it was up to the lake to bring things back home. It was just Lizzie and me this time, as Rick was tied up with his landlord activities. The best part was spending time with my cousin Mutty and her husband Howard. I hadn't seen Mutty in more than a year, since we were at a wedding together, so it was a very good time with lots of laughs and good food!

I also took some walks -- the weather was unseasonably warm and just gorgeous. Even got in a dip in the lake!  I don't have a photo of Harry North, but we had a remarkable sighting. He has a lady friend! More than once we saw the two streak across the sky together and it was a magnificent sight. Photograph of the Heart and Memory. But yes, colors are coming in -- slow, but sure.

I hit the farm market and bought a half-bushel of tomatoes, so in the time between the minute I stuck them in the car and when we leave I have to make pasta sauce. I realized my freezer at home is too big to store them all till I return. It might be a good time to clean the freezer. 

The little market was humming and boy, did that produce look good. I got some apples and peppers, too. And contemplated squash, but I'll never get it used before we go.

Rick and I went to a volleyball tournament in which his cousin's daughter was playing. I'd never been to a volleyball game before and it was fun. Here was Kate's Fan Club!

And, I took a brief trip to London, Ontario, to see my friend Suzanne and go to Stratford, where we saw the musical "Something's Rotten."

The productions are always terrific and this did not disappoint. Equally fun was walking around the town of Stratford.

It used to have loads of swans but it seems the Canada geese have taken over. There are tons of them, everywhere, by the river, and they cause their own traffic jams.

A walk by the river, nice dinner out and some shopping (we scored big at the used book store) -- it all makes for a great two days.

Best of all is hanging with a friend you've known for more than 50 years! 

In between other things (like figuring out how to live from a carry-on bag for three weeks and hitting more doc appointments than a woman should have), I've been trying to get a handle on the mess called the front yard. As I was clipping and raking I discovered this fellow.

Great eyes! I don't have an ID but I'm wondering if it's in the Praying Mantis family. Here's a longer view of his body.

Any ideas?

A bit of a crazy week coming up. More appointments and Rick and I will head to the lake for a final closing. Always hard.

Boy, time moves fast!