Sunday, June 14, 2009

Summer! Summer! Summer!

Today I had planned to take a canoe trip down Guelph's Speed River, as part of the triumphant (possible) return of the Daily Muffy. Unfortunately the forecast rather sketchily called for afternoon thundershowers, and my trip organizer -- who is a professional canoe coach -- said "Lightning + Canoe = Death." And she didn't want to die just for a bunch of goofy photographs. We had to cancel.

So on a beautiful day, with the Co-op car booked and a totally free itinerary ahead of me, I decided to drive to New Hamburg and take my mom out for a surprise lunch.

And it worked! She hadn't eaten! We sat on the empty E.J.'s patio and ate pulled-pork sandwiches and talked about her trip to England. Then we took a long stroll around Baden -- which neither of us have ever walked around -- and chatted with children and played with a small dog. Then we went on the "Castle Kilbride" tour, which was quite beautiful, though I was disappointed we didn't get to REALLY see the basement. And I think that when I accidentally touched the tour guide's hand she thought I was groping her.

A side benefit of this wonderful day -- besides the joyful sponteneity of just making it up as we went along -- was the driving practice I got in. I'm becoming more comfortable with the car and am no longer white-knuckled when I drive it, and with each trip I become more thankful to the Grand River Car Share: they are professional, sensible, and they suit my lifestyle perfectly.

Sigh! Here's to a wonderful summer day! I don't have a "Daily Muffy" to show for it, but I think I ultimately got something better.

3 comments:

Kimber said...

Yay summer and yay Muffy! Sounds like a great day of simple pleasures and I bet your mom loved it too.

Tanzi is here now so maybe you'll want to come up here for a day of daily Muffy on the beach?

jessie said...

OMG muffy...this is so odd. I don't know if you remember- we met a few weeks ago at the Guelph pinch this pride benefit for the AIDS committee. I was the girl doing crossword puzzles in the change room. In ANY case, I'm working on the restoration project of the New Hamburg Grandstands and while looking for pictures for it I came across your flicker stream and the pictures you took there, which lead me to your blog! And I see that you came to the Castle for a tour, where I work! And you must have had lovely Emily my co-worker as your tour guide.
The connections are just too strange. I just had to tell you all that.

Adam Thornton said...

It is an incredibly, indescribably, and ridiculously small world!

Of course I remember you, and I hope you had a fun time that night. Treat the New Hamburg grandstands well...they were much beloved!

And I was hoping we'd get you as a tourguide, but Emily did a wonderful job anyway. :)