Physical Effects of Cottaging

Bad
-sunburn
-headaches from squinting in the sun
-bug bites
-cuts, scrapes and bruises
-dry calloused feet from being barefoot

Good
-happiness, joy, relaxation
-soft hair from lake water
-exercise from swimming, climbing and hiking
-less acne from the sun
-clearer lungs from the fresh air
-long, refreshing sleep

Ami's Cottage

Ami, Nick, John, and I rented a car this weekend and went to Ami's cottage. The car was amazing, although we had rented a Focus, we ended up getting a free upgrade to a Grand Prix. We hung out at her cottage and with her parents for the first night and most of Saturday. There was tons of swimming and playing around their new dock. Apsley is the small town nearby where we went for diner breakfast, grocery shopping, and of course the LCBO. We all went for a long distance swim in the afternoon. On the way back we ended up swimming with a loon, it was 10-12 feet away from us. We picked up Ami's good friend and her new fiance, Kat and Shawn, and headed for Little Jack's. It is a 20 minute boat ride away and then another 25 minute hike into the bush. This is well worth it as it is a long series of waterfalls that flow into a bunch of large pools. *See Photo* It is so fun to swim in and around the rushing water. We camped out and despite forgetting a number of important camping items we survived nicely. I had a great night sleep as my tent was set up on a bed of moss. We woke to bright blue sky. After heading back to the cottage I spent the day on the dock, sunbathing, reading and swimming. I'm a little burnt and my muscles are a little sore, but that is perfect, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Found It

Item Lost: New Blue Pashmini given to me by Anna
Time Lost: Exactly two weeks ago
Last Place I Remember: The Sunroom
Place Found: The Basement on top of some hockey equipment

Clowning Around

I went to see my first show at Arts Court. People always talk about this venue and friends have gone to see a huge range of things there, but I had never been. It is amazing. It contains a little theatre where I went to see Bubkus, a one-man clown drama. It is a long story of how I ended up in this little theatre watching this amazing show but basically I had no idea what I was going to see. Having always been fairly ambivilant to clowns I wasn't anticipating much. I was definitaly blown away by Jesse Buck's performance. Moving, touching, and absolutly halerious. Manly though, it is impossible to describ in a way that really does the experience any justice. If you are able to catch it in Ottawa at Arts Court before the show ends on July 29th I suggest you do. He is also touring around and can be seen in Toronto. Check out his website and trust me that it is something you would enjoy.

Splitting Shins

I hung out the past two nights with Kristen. She is back in Ottawa for her usual one week a month to work on the university paper. She is killing me. She never has any bus tickets and wants to walk everywhere. It takes my all to drag her onto a bus. She thinks it is nothing to walk downtown, which is a good 4km away. My ankles are sore, I have a shooting pain up the foot and shin of one leg, and I'm exhausted. Biking everywhere makes me impatient at the amount of time it takes to walk somewhere. I also don't like the negative effect it has on my body, since I'm rarely wearing the right shoes. I know it is exercise and it is good to spend time outdoors but walking sucks!!

A New Era For Binx

It is a new era for my little kitty, Binx. Well not actually a new era, since she is 14 and nothing much is new for her now. I have decided she will return to being an outside-inside cat. I was worried about this because of the many vicious cats in the area, a rumoured cat sodomist, and the busy streets near-by. Never the less, it is time for her to spend more time outdoors and less time inside. She needs adventure.

My Own Home

I love....
..having a computer in my room so I can stay on it late at night
..leaving my clothes on the floor
..watching TV with the volume up really loud
..unloading the dishwasher of mix-match cups and plates
..sitting on the porch alone when no one knows and no one cares
..waiting weeks before cleaning my room
..drinking at 5 or even noon
..walking in at anytime day or night and leaving again whenever I what
..my independence in my own home

Missing Summer

I'm sitting here at The Charleton office again, helping a little bit with the newspaper. I throw my two cents in and do a bit of copy editing. It makes me want to apply for a position here. I won't, since I think it will be easier all around if I just hang out and help out a lot. I'm sure once school starts I will be super busy as will the office here making it less fun and peaceful. I look out over the rooftops of my university to a cloudy blue sky stretching out away from me. I feel like I'm missing out on summer again. I want to feel the warm wind stirring my hair and the sweet smell of lightly sweaty skin. I need to be tanned and my hair to be lightened, strung with shinning copper strands. Running barefoot through wet grass or soft sand. I want the summers of my childhood. I want the long, easy, peaceful days and nights without work, school, or responsibility.