So anyways...

Hurrah! I now have what they call here "high speed internet"!! I beg to differ but it's better than what I had before which was just my cell phone. (Can't wait to see my next cell phone bill - NOT!!) Tonight it took a while before I was able to get online but eventually I did, so I should just stop being a whiner!

I've been wondering where to go next with my blog - that's the dilemma I'm currently facing. Now that I AM retired what's next? Things didn't exactly turn out the way I thought they were going to and I still don't know the answer to the Clash song's big question: "should I stay or should I go now?" I really don't know. Honest to God I change my mind about 10,000 times a day. I have had some really rough days here at Crofters Lane - I'm even wondering about changing its name to something else, but if I don't move here then why bother? I'm really overthinking things so am going to let it go for now and try not to think about it. The answers will come.

So, what I'm thinking about now is changing up my blog format, changing my direction to something like:

"Living Alone: Smash the Fear" (Sam - you were the inspiration for that one - at least your fridge is;)!!)

"The Single Life: Pros and Cons"

"The Joys and Sorrows of Life Alone"

"Finding Jane"

"After Retirement - What's Next?"

"Life after Teaching"

"Finding my Way Back"

And on it goes...I am open to suggestions...please! All that "alone" stuff isn't meant to just be morose but to explore the various challenges a woman, aged 58, retired, faces as she goes about her daily life. For instance, I am finding new ways of doing things since I don't have a strong man around. I have to be way more creative. Is that interesting? Do you have an opinion of what direction I should take? Please weigh in with your opinions - I find what you have to say immensely valuable!

In the meantime I'll be sharing photos from the last couple of weeks, and I have TONS! Hopefully you don't mind going back in time a wee bit while I catch up. I haven't done a proper post since I left Ontario 3 weeks ago.

Here's a start; I left London on June 29th, stopping in Barrie for a little jam session...

 Tammy - bass player extraordinaire!

Her talented partner Jay...

Steve and Nancy, the hosts of the evening...

And then entered a saxophone player...

and a tinkler of the ivories...

pretty magical! (Look ma, no hands!!)

Jan, belting one out!

Oh yes, I also play guitar...

On the road again...drove as far as I could that night and then slept in the back seat of my truck at a service centre - yes, indeedy!

There's so much to love about New Brunswick...the hills..

the streams...

the view around every curve...

the lupines were at their peak...

Dougie the Dodge handled beautifully - I was so proud!

I pushed myself and drove from 6am to 10pm...the sunset was brilliant...

and then I arrived at my destination - a sweet little house in rural New Brunswick - good friends, good food, awesome fur babies and a comfy bed. Sigh..... :)

To be continued...

Quickie Time!!

Good evening my faithful friends :)

Today I went back to my feminist roots, yes indeedy. I told myself that old truism (because yes, it's based on the truth!) -
"anything a man can do, a woman can do better!"

And so I proceeded to pack the back of the truck, bearing in mind that I had to contend with and make room for the 800 pound spare tire! And leave room for the cooler which will be packed tomorrow. And lift big heavy awkward boxes up into the truck.  That's why I'm drinking a delicious concoction made up by me of mango sorbet and vodka :)  It's for medicinal purposes of course....my back's a bit sore (NOT!)

There's the first layer in place...see how I managed to squeeze smaller items in between the larger bins, uh huh, uh huh, I know what I'm doing...

I never thought I'd be able to fit in my dad's captain's chair, but I did!! And I put the cooler in though I haven't packed it yet, I just needed to see how much space it would take up. But it works, even all of my friend Jules art supplies and there's ROOM LEFT OVER - HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN??

Tomorrow I hit the dusty trail but not going TOO far - just to Barrie, maybe a 2.5 hour drive......for a JAM SESSION - woo hoo!! Friends that play at the pub in August are making a wee detour tomorrow to do a house party - so I get to see Jay and Tammy early this year - now that's the way to get summer or RETIREMENT off to a fabulous start!! Then I'll turn EAST -----------------
next stop New Brunswick!!  to see good (no, GREAT) friends!!

OK....mango sorbet + vodka = YUMMY!

How Entertaining!

Wow, do I really feel out of the loop - what a great feeling!!

It's a hot and sticky day here in Alberton, PEI, and Michael and I are using the free wifi at the local library.  The first thing I had to find out when I was finally able to get on the internet was the time of the men's 100m dash this coming Sunday (I'm rooting for Usain Bolt!). No matter that's its summer holidays and that it might be a gorgeous sunny day I'll be rooted in front of the TV rooting on Usain!

Yes, this is our island TV! We've left behind our 40" HD colour TV and we're watching our 3" x 4" black and white relic that Michael has owned since the 80's.  One channel, no Netflix. Whenever we're home it's on. We can tell by the volume and tone of the announcer's voice when something exciting is happening and then we run and squint at the screen. The vertical hold was causing a few problems one day but I've found that reception is much better in the living room with the antenna pointed southwest. Entertainment at its best!  If it weren't for the Olympics we would only be using the radio function (yes, it has a radio TOO!!) to listen to one of the local PEI radio stations - Michael especially likes the station that plays "music to set your traps to!" which is especially relevant as "setting day" for our local fishermen is next Thursday.  If I can get myself up at 5am we'll  go and watch.  Now THAT will be entertaining!

When we're not glued to the Olympic coverage we're taking in other forms of entertainment - here's a few examples:

 Our friend Julie's (centre) CD launch; she's also a server at the Albert and Crown pub. Over the summer she travels around the island with her band playing at a number of bluegrass festivals. Her band includes her mom who Julie calls her best friend. Family is #1 on the island and multi-generational get togethers (parties, drinking at the local pub, celebrations, musical groups) are commonplace. The people of PEI value their elders very much which is why many of our friends are "young people". This is very different from the way we are treated by the younger generation in Ontario....VERY different!

 Nothing beats gazing into the firepit!

Unless it's listening to Matt Minglewood, a well known Maritime musician.

A parliamentary re-enactment was quite impressive...

and getting to share an evening with the Hay Babies before they left for Europe was quite a treat!

No PEI summer would be complete without a jam sessions with Jay and Tammy at their recently purchased home in Skinners Pond.

 They also play at our local pub and it's just one big singalong with lots of folks getting up to sing at the extra mike or using Jay or Tammy's guitar to play along.

 The Alberton parade was good fun - we got to meet Miss Alberton in person when she came in to celebrate her win at the pub the night before the parade!!

One of my favorite entertainments was the STRONGMAN competition which took place during the local exhibition. During this contest the men had to lift a series of concrete balls of increasing weight up onto platforms!! Yikes! The final competition was lifting and carrying a 310 lb. field stone as far as they could. The fellow in the above picture carried the field stone for 183' which clinched the competition for him. He and the second place winner will be going to Quebec to compete in the national strongman competition!

So as you can see life is pretty entertaining around here. Even when there is nothing to do at all but sit and watch the weather!