It’s almost exactly two and a half years since my last posting, two and a half years since last I travelled. Tumultuous years – for everyone! In the interim I’ve bought and moved into a condo – just down the street from my former home – I do like the neighbourhood. Adopted my greyhound girl Ready – a lifesaver during COVID with lots and lots of walks everywhere and the obligatory distanced conversations. She has turned out to be my social secretary, hasn’t met a person she hasn’t won over to be her adoring fan, carrier of treats and supplier of cuddles. I get to tag along of course.

Ready “introduced” me to the other residents on our ravine level, which got me onto the Garden Committee, which segued onto the condo board and now as President. WHEW!

It’s actually been a very good thing; I need to have a purpose and to keep my brain engaged – I can be awfully destructive left unattended too long. Plus I’ve met the best bunch of people. In fact I’m sitting in the lounge at the airport with Susan, my neighbour across the ravine about to head to Labrador and Newfoundland for the next two weeks. She is a traveller like me as opposed to a tourist – an important distinction for me, though I freely admit that that might be just a tad snobbish/elitist or some such?

The big thing on this trip for me will be to visit L’Anse aux Meadows, the Viking Settlement also known as Vineland. I remember first reading about it in the ‘60’s as a young teenager and being absolutely fascinated. Remember, at that time the accepted wisdom was that Cristoforo Colombo “discovered” North America…. “In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue…” Not withstanding the indigenous residents, the Viking’s settlement was 400 to 500 years before any other Westerner! So cool!

Total aside – people seem to have gotten awfully casual/bizarre in their travel attire – maybe I’m just out of practice. There are people in outfits that I wouldn’t actually sleep in. One woman – admittedly a lovely body – wearing what I could swear is a very mini version of a onesie – a very thin, very tight, mostly see-through onesie.

Sigh….

Susan is asking “how is the posting going” and I have to say that at this hour of the morning and after such a long hiatus – kinda stream of consciousness. I’ll get back into the swing of thing no doubt.

AND I’ve dusted off the cameras – that creative itch has resurfaced – YAY!

Until soon….