Montreal:

Visiting family is exhausting! R and I - plumb wore out. He managed to get to supper last night and after eating fell asleep on the sofa. We opted out of a couple events. They had an airbnb two BR apt near the canal and the Market. Suppers all at their place and cooked by them. GD et al, solved the passport problem by renting a car and driving up so that has been great! It helped greatly for the family to have a car and not need me as taxi! And they will be able to use the tickets at a later date - this happens to many new parents! Zayda will soon have her own passport!

Son and wife loaded pottery into their carry-ons, well wrapped in bubble wrap - all they could fit - 12 plates, 6 bowls and a couple matching small pieces. Great de-clutter for me - both physically and mentally ---YAY!!!! Mission accomplished. GREAT relief! And they are thrilled to pieces! So I am also. A box for other GD can go to NY in the car and be mailed to San Diego. Another YAY!

Now I have sorted the rest to go to various places: things to go to mill today after I deliver folks to airport. Others to go to Beaver. Hoping R will go back with me on Thurs (or Friday?) for a few days. HA! I just realized: if we are only going for a few days, I can wait 'til next week to go to mill - and rest here until we can leave! Smart move. I want to re-glaze and re-fire the pots that were not up to snuff - advice from a pottery tech person!

Last night was an event for Son, his wife, and GD and I as we went through the 3 photo albums I have: that's your great grandfather ... and your great great grandfather... And bits and pieces of commentary on what kind of folks they were... And how sad his grand dad was to die and leave him (son was not yet 3 and has little conscious memory but wife feels it was a blow to him; they were very close).

And Son's disclosure of his DNA results: NO Cherokee - as we have always believed was great great gm. Apparently it is very common for folks to think they do when they do not - family myths. A shocking sort of de-clutter!

And I got to hear about and see (pic) a marvellous wood table my son concocted out of maple cut on their property - neat! I always knew he was artistic. That and the incredibly beautiful pond he constructed in their yard. So like his granddad Parshall. (He is just the age my dad was when he died of cancer; seems incredibly healthy. Hope!)

So, to the airport today and then do some put-off errands and collapse in a sad heap. It has been too short and when shall I see them again! It is a long and expensive trip to/from Whidbey Island. I expect Ali and family will be back; they love Montreal, and Brooklyn is not so far.

Charmion: I hope you enjoyed Manitoulin! I wonder if you have heard the song "Manitoulin" by David Campbell. It often runs through my mind. It is beautiful and so is the Island.