I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but you may have noticed I’m having a little trouble focusing on the blog lately.
Here’s a list of what’s new.
1. I finished knitting a sweater. It only took me three years.
2. I started knitting a new sweater.
3. Duncan was very bad last night.
4. I’ve started thinking about my summer vacation.
5. Two women almost came to blows directly outside my office window yesterday. I took pictures.
6. I found a delicious healthy lunch take-out place and now I will buy my lunch there every day for a year because I am a creature of habit. Today I had rosemary-potato pizza.
Okay, enough of that. I’m going to blog about my summer vacation.
I am seriously considering not doing Bluesfest this year. I know what you’re thinking – you’re wondering who will be the unofficial Bluesfest Porta-Potty blogger if I don’t go.
I hate to leave you in the lurch, but I’m not getting any younger, and Bluesfest just about killed me last year. Eleven consecutive days of working during the days, Bluesfest crowds at night and porta-potty blogging at dawn – it was just too much.
So I’m thinking of maybe going to school this summer instead of going to Bluesfest. Haliburton School of the Arts offers a virutal smorgasborg of tempting summer courses; all kinds of them look good to me. Visual arts, music, creative writing, crafts. Each course is a week long, 47 hours, $252. I’d love to go for the whole summer. Realistically, though, I’ll probably stay for two weeks and do two courses. Maybe a week of guitar and a week of watercolour or mixed media or something like that.
I just need to register, rent a room or a campsite or a cottage, find someone to look after Duncan, and figure out how to get to Haliburton. It’s north of Peterborough and according to Google Maps it takes three hours and forty-seven minutes to drive there. But according to Voyageur Bus Lines, it takes the bus 10 hours to get there and 22 hours to get back.
What’s everybody else thinking about doing this summer?
I loved your porta potty blogging, but I hear you on the Bluesfest. It’s gotten a little bit too big for its breeches. Or, too big for me perhaps. Anyway, I think the Haliburton idea is fabulous. And, I think you will have lots of offers to look after Duncan.
What did Duncan do?
Seconding that request. How was Giant-cat bad?
It’s summer here now and i’m working. but come winter I’ll be heading for warmer climes, hopefully spain
Definitely do Haliburton. It has the BEST educational and artistic philosophy I have run into, and you will be working with good teachers and interesting students. There is a motel within walking distance and a great B&B run by one of the teachers (fabric art and storytelling) if you are willing to rent a car for the two weeks.
Yoohoo! I’ll look after Duncan…
Hey, I think my brother might have taught at that place in Haliburton. Probably outdoor landscape painting or something like that… I wonder if he’s going to do that again this year? The Peterborough Gallery just bought one of his paintings for their permanent exhibit.
School of Arts sounds interesting.
Voyageur could take me there in that time, or in the same amount of time I could get to Sri Lanka. Hm…
Definitely do Haliburton!
I’ve taken a couple courses there, and it’s a gorgeous place to spend some summer weeks. I grew up in Minden (15 mins south of Haliburton), and when I go “home” from Ottawa (by car) the route usually takes me through Haliburton. You can also go to Peterborough by bus (greyhound) and then drive the hour or so to Haliburton. There’s no reliable or remotely convenient bus service from Ottawa to Haliburton – Peterborough’s the closest busstop.
I have no idea what my plans are this summer, but I’m sure I’ll be going home at some point, maybe we could carpool or something.
I just watched their promo video, and I recognize about 10 of the people in it. Hahah… small towns.
Bluesfest is so good, but so bad. I might skip out too.
I will be getting a bulldog this summer. Nothing else really matters.
I adore crows. I have several prints of crows and I recently purchased one where the crow is walking down a fall lane wearing black cowboy boots. I am also felting crow dolls. Crows are welcome to roost around my place anytime. The dogs on the other hand prefer they keep on flying.
Post your sweater pictures, ’cause it’s LOVELY!!!
I grew up just south of Minden, about half an hour from Haliburton – it’s a beautiful area – you should go!
Ok, you guys have sealed the deal for me – I’m going to Haliburton! I’ll worry about all the pesky details later, but spending two weeks in the Hills doing art and music sounds pretty idyllic to me. Thank you for the nudges! (I especially like that Em and Don Mills Don, who both grew up there, are urging me to go. That’s a very good sign.)
Coyote, that’s awfully kind of you to offer to take care of Duncan for me. But even though I was pissed off at him yesterday, I still don’t want to end up in a stock pot. Maybe you could cover the porta-potty blogging for me instead?
Andrea – is the bulldog happening this summer for SURE? You will be SO ready for that dog by the time you get him!
Nursemyra, I keep forgetting you’re upside down down there in Australia!
The idea of taking an art course in the summer is heaven! (Just getting around to reading the blog now and never finished this sweater entry before I saw you, which is why I didn’t mention it, otherwise I would totally have talked about it.) It’s almost like a spa or religious retreat kind of vacation. I think I may mention the idea to the alleged husband…