A month of sorting and packing in between physio workouts, concerts and seeing friends. Wonderful to see Katherine Hill home after her 6 months studying in Sweden.
2 days of travel, 3 days of unpacking, 5 days before communication networks hooked up, and now finally, I am successfully, safely and joyfully ensconced at #9 Oakes Cottages for the summer all the way to September 16. Thanks to Hilary who took time off from her business, Primary Care Advisory, to help me pack up, load the car next morning and send me on my way with big hugs. I drove more than the “few blocks allowed” for the first time since the accident to Meg’s house where she took the wheel to Petrel Point on the Bruce Peninsula. Overnight there and a fish (thanks John) dinner (thanks Meg) with Sophie Champagne to catch up on the Southampton news.
Up at 5.45 a.m. to re-pack the coolers for the hour-long to drive to the ferry which wants us there an hour ahead of sailing … gives us time for our annual “hearty Canadian breakfast” at the Leeside Restaurant: bacon, eggs, home fries, toast, jam and an endless pot of coffee for Meg. They toast my rice bread very nicely.
I love the almost 2 hour ferry ride: a seat in the bow so we can see everything, near an exit to the deck for a walk around, the morning paper, a snooze—and then the island ahead of us and a voice warning “all passengers return to their vehicles.” The elevator this time, instead of stairs, and since we have a handicapped sign we are at the front right behind the motorcycles, bikes, walkers and canes. Watch awestruck—every time—as the huge mouth of the Chi-Cheemaun slowly opens, clangs hard to the dock in a “can it be possible” meeting and we all roar to life up the ramp to the road.
Half an hour to Mindemoya, gas, check to see if Foodland is open on Sunday, on to the cottage. Offload a carful of luggage, the lunch we brought so welcome. Rain is forecast for tomorrow so Meg clears away rocks for this year’s path beside the dock and weeds my small herb garden as I store the perishables from the car and re-arrange the kitchen, spotlessly clean (but shelves not my way), before we are off to Gore Bay to pick up an order from The Island Bulk aka Pantry. New owners Christine and Daryelle have done a fine job of sorting out numerous emails and getting it all together. A frozen yogurt de rigeur-desert before a delicious early dinner at Twin Bluffs restaurant. Half an hour to Drydens’ Corners to make sure Poppa’s Meats is still selling fresh white fish and home to unpack the first load of groceries and clear a space on my bed so I can get into it for a grateful early night.
Overcast Sunday is Island Foodland for the big staples shop and then to The Whitechurch Gallery, newly opened by Leanne and Ross McGill, for the last day of The Three Visions Show with Nancy McDermid, one of the artists I worked with last year at the Manitoulin Art Tour, Linda Williamson and Marc Brzustowski. Fascinating to see the same places or views interpreted from 3 different perspectives.
Back to the cottage for lunch and to unpack more groceries while Meg gets the boxes of kitchen equipment down from shelves in the storeroom. Past time for a nap, a drink in the sun that has just come out, dinner and finally tackle my suitcase of clothes while Meg takes care of odds and ends. We sleep well that night and leave early Monday morning for the ferry so that we can drop in to the big box hardware store. (I don’t like them but the local Hardware was closed).
I am always sad when Meg leaves so I make myself busy on the way home, a few errands, drop in to say hello to Maja at Maja’s Bounty, her lovely little store-in-a-home, buy just picked lettuce and her new rosemary/onion/maple syrup marinade —wonderful with that night’s chicken. A peaceful night with no phone or internet—or city noises. Too early in the season for late night boats, just the rustle of bats setting out on the night’s hunt.