Week One of Summer

As I suspected, having Tina Fey along for the ride was a stroke of brilliance on my part. I friggin love audio books. Well, at least ones with only one main character. I imagine it could get tricky trying to keep track of numerous plot lines and a hundred characters. But this? Her Bossy Pants book? Was perfect.

Also, as suspected (and probably wise, for me) I didn't get up at the crack of dawn last Tuesday and leave as the sun was rising.
I slept til 10 because these are my holidays and this is how I roll, and I left at 11:30 EXACTLY when Rose predicted I would.

Well rested, with 6 CD's in my player, I was equipped.
I drove with my sunroof open, so my shoulders and arms would catch the sun's rays.
I also drove with my camera ready to shoot on the seat beside me. And shoot I did.

I love this province.
Seriously. I should get out more.

Such varied landscape.
Rich, I tell you. We are rich with options.

Not once did I get sleepy. Yay for me. Nor did I need to stop to pee.
So my trip took slightly less than 5 hours.
When I arrived, I saw the note on Rose's back door advising me she was at the lake.

I grabbed my lawnchair, camera and book and joined her at her happy place:

We sat on that dock til way past 8 pm. Then we BBQed dinner. Watched some TV and completely unwound. She went to bed at 10. Me and the mice stayed up later.


The next day, Scott and Terry came by and took us on a three hour boating trip.
I have a new favorite summertime activity.
I love sitting on a boat on a lake with my friends listening to music and talking on a hot summer day.
No really, I do.
I would not kid you about something like this.

The next day, Rose and I drove over to Scott and Terry's place (same lake, different shore) (one hour drive) and enjoyed their hospitality.

By mid afternoon, the weather had turned and we prepared for a storm, which arrived 15 minutes later:

Thunder.
Lightning.
Rain.

(Rain drops on the lake. Maybe it's not a great photo. I guess you had to be there.)

In addition to the weather dampening our fun, I broke out with spots. Itchy spots. On my abdomen. Lower back. Butt. And Upper thighs. Basically a 14" swath of flesh from front to back was covered in swimmer's itch.

Oh yes.
And mosquito bites on my feet.

As planned, I left Friday morning.
Those parts of me that are exposable, were nicely tanned, thanks to the one and a half days of sunshine.
The other parts of me, the parts that are pastey white? Were covered in polka dots. 47 of them.

I got home at 3, picked up Drew, then went to my mom's to fold newsletters and stuff envelopes.
Clint and the rest of the Dalit Freedom Network were there, preparing for the upcoming art show, which was a lovely unexpected bonus.

And that evening?
(Because a person really can't cram too much into one day...)
I saw this with a friend:

and enjoyed it.
James McAvoy? New fav actor.
Jus sayin.

I rented the original X Men movie last night, because I had forgotten most of it. And uh? Really? James McAvoy grows up to be Patrick Stewart? I dunno.

Went to Take Back the City tonight with Drew and Dani... and was challenged to DO SOMETHING about all the hurting and pain and injustices against the less fortunate people in the world.
No duh.
I have been hearing that message loud and clear these past few weeks.
My heart is overflowing with tears for so many.
I don't know where to start.
Cancer.
Alzheimers.
Drug Addictions.
Mental Health.
Sex Trafficking and Slavery.
Loneliness.
Maternal Mortality.

Oh my goodness. I just read the chapter on Maternal Mortality and fistulas. ohmygoodnessohmygoodness.
Do you know what a fistula is?
Do you know how lucky we are to live in a place where we can get medical treatment?
I thought reading about rapes was going to do me in. But this? This chapter? Is so graphic and awful and painful to read. These women, girls really, are in hell. Through no fault of their own. And it's just so hard to read their stories. And see their faces. (Each story has an accompanying photo.)

By the way?
Each chapter, in addition to ripping your heart out with wrenching stories, outlines the work that is currently being done to help those who need assistance. And those stories? Are encouraging.

This book, and the women in it are going to stay with me a long, long time.

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Another week off. (Although I will go into the office a couple times to get this latest newsletter out...)
2. Friends who have time to do stuff with me.
3. Bactine.

Shalom,