A Hard Frost

sunny, mild, temps 12

It's turned into a lovely, though chilly, day. Had the predicted hard frost last night. Frost on the car. Quite a shock heading into mid-May! But by 8am it had melted and by noon it was a nice April day. Too bad it's May. But I have to admit such is spring in Canada. You just never know. Which is why we're told time and again not to put our annuals or vegetables into the garden until after the Victoria Day long weekend. That's May 24th. Most years it seems a ridiculous injunction, and then suddenly there's a frost. This year it seems less silly.

Hard to access the damage done by the snow and then the hard frost. I'm thinking it's not nearly as bad as I feared. yay! As someone commented, quite rightly, Nature is resilient. Has to be. Otherwise Canada and certainly Quebec would have been a wasteland years ago.

Harvested our first asperagus, through the snow. Very funny to see the stalks poking up through the snow.

Went to Cowansville for breakfast - did some banking and mailing. Then dropped Michael at home so he could work on his book, and I went across to Richford. More mailing!

It takes me a while - like most people - to really appreciate I'm on vacation. We were sitting over breakfast and I began to get antsy to be going. Had to do chores then get home to -

ahhhh. To - nothing!! Like those school days waking early, getting ready to drag ourselves out of bed, only to realize it's Saturday.

ahhh.

Getting caught up on a while lot of things, but none stressful now that I have the time. Thanks SO much for your help finding a place on the Sunshine Coast...we'll be going a few days early, before the Literary Festival in Sechelt and need a place to stay. We'd found the Rockwater Inn (and Spa!!) - but it was booked. But we've now booked into a B and B called A Place by the Sea. Rooms seem huge - decks looking out over the water. Massages....and we've booked a private sea safari - all day, just us and the captain...taking us into the remote waterways of British Columbia. Stopping at a remote beach to walk, or swim and to have a hot lunch cooked on the shore. Sounds divine!!! Have also booked two spa treatments - not on the beach. Though that would be great too.

The only thing that seems complex is getting to Sechelt! But apparently people do. We won't be the first. The masseuse, for instance, had to find their way. But that's part of the fun of traveling. We fly in to Vancouver - then somehow get the 20 kilometers from the airport to the ferry. Take the 40 minute ferry (which is apparently spectacular) to the Sunshine Coast. We've booked a rental car there. The rest sound be easy.

I find for my peace of mind, I just need to give us plenty of time between the time the flight arrives and our ferry booking. And to remember if we miss the ferry no one is likely to die. or even be maimed. It actually doesn't matter. Michael is much more zen about these things than I am. But then, he can afford to be, he has me to do all the worrying.

Next life I'm coming back as a piece of luggage.

Lovely to see the sun. On the way back from Richford, VT I stopped at the grocery store and got us a couple steaks for the BBQ tonight. A few nights ago I stopped and noticed it's Lobster Festival! Sutton is landlocked, so not a lot of local lobster, but Canada has a huge east coast lobster industry...so I guess the lobsters have arrived. Michael loves them. I'm not a huge fan. So I went in and got Michael a nice, just cooked, one. I hate the idea of pointing to one in the tank and having them cook it. Feels way too much like passing final judgment. But am hypocritical enough to be happy to buy one already cooked.

You should have seen Michael's face when the lobster came through the door. he spent all day waiting for dinner time. And he found every morsel. Just adored it. What fun.

Busy day tomorrow. 8 am breakfast back in Cowansville with some friends...10:30 appointment to take the car in in Montreal - noon speaking engagement with the Rotary Club in Montreal. But I should be back at the apartment by 2pm.

pat and Tony coming first thing in the morning, with their dogs, to house sit. Such fun to see their two dogs playing with Trudy out by the pond. You can't imagine the wet dog smell from that!

Will try to blog tomorrow. Be well!