This has never been a daily updates sort of blog, but sometimes, the stuff to tell you about piles up, and then, like all decent procrastinators, I ignore the whole big pile. (This is a pattern for other parts of my life too.)
So, since I last burbled at you... I went to Ron's Snake Islands kayak skills weekend, as I do every year. This one was the best one yet - our numbers were down from other years, which was in part due to a forecast of high winds combined with a longish crossing over to the Snakes. However, all of the people who did make the crossing were of above-average skills, and we covered more ground than we normally do. I am now (finally!) comfortable with high brace turns, and have a marked improvement in confidence on the low brace turns. I have, however, lost skill and confidence in coming up from upside down or sideways using additional floatation - Corey had to rescue me when I got stuck (to my credit, I didn't panic and wet exit). I lost my goggles in the water, which ended my voluntary upside-down state unless my hand was firmly on another boat. I took no pictures of the weekend, though other people did - no fewer than three photo collections have been sent to me.
Right after the Snakes, I went to the U.K., to Oxford. There wasn't much touristing, though my camera contains quite a few images of the grand old colleges and similar. They go with a rant on how societies deliberately create barriers to underline exclusion in order to create belonging. Between that and English food, I am once again reminded how much I enjoy living in Canadian society, where the word "egalitarian" is more than a dictionary entry. Also, my shoe fell apart while in Oxford, and there was no shoe glue to be found. I spent at least 10 minutes searching before buying new shoes (dozens of shoe stores to be found).
I got back on Friday afternoon, dealt with airport annoyances at Dorval (this was the first time I had to go through the silliness we are forced to endure if taking a flight to a Canadian destination other than the one where we first land from abroad). Originally, I'd thought I'd have enough energy to come home, get into the car (the kayak was already car-topped) and head up to Cape Croker. That didn't happen - I had to deal with very important tasks like strawberry picking, showering, grocery shopping, and napping.
Saturday morning, I took the car (complete with its recurring "check engine" light) up to Cape Croker, where I bailed on an instructional session (too many people at too diverse skill levels self-identifed as "intermediate") and paddled around with Sonja (aka Sam's Wife) before smoothly moving into the sit in a lawnchair on the beach and consume Sam's beer with Sonja. There was a (delicious) potluck, and there was disappearing into my tent for sleeping before it got dark - thus I missed the rest of what there was. Too tired. Yesterday, there was a car shuttle to Barrow Bay and a fun paddle back to Cape Croker via Barrier Island. I have some pictures of this in the camera. Barrier Island looks like the 11th circle of hell - which is defined as the 10th circle + seagull nesting + gigantic poison ivy.
Today, Monday, I am back at work in Guelph, and feeling distinctly overwhelmed. The car is at the car-doctor, no doubt draining my bank account. There are too many sticky notes on my keyboard, due to U.K.-buggering-off last week. There are too many tasks to accomplish. When I go home, I will feel the need to do some work in the garden - it is beautiful and wonderful and one big mess of weeds between the beautiful and wonderful, and I haven't cut the grass in ages. I need to fix the gelcoat on my kayak. I need to clean up the mess I shovelled out of the car (all my camping gear) before taking it to the shop this morning. I have not had non-sour milk in my fridge in about two weeks. I need to do laundry. I have a book I've not been reading despite wanting to. I have things I want to plan, but am lacking the big picture view of the next few months. I am getting annoyed with myself for not committing to things while mulling over other things.
Really, the the State of Johanna's Mind report could be summarized from my exchange with the coffee shop cashier this morning. I had my coffee, in a cardboard cup (had forgotten my cup), and I needed a new customer loyalty card (every 10th coffee is free)
Johanna: I'm sorry, I lost my card again, may I have another one, I know, I'm a loser.
Cashier: Who isn't these days?
As in, I know you're busy too. We all are. But *I* get to go kayaking again on Saturday. And when I'm on a kayak trip, all is right with the world. I highly recommend it.
Posted by Johanna at June 26, 2006 01:09 PM