TubaOrNotTuba

I am a child of Amazon. I used to do a lot of shopping in malls, but I have not for a number of years. When I need to purchase something, I make visits to places that have exactly what I want, pay and I go home. Or I shop for online. I had almost forgotten the insanity of a shopping centre. Today I found myself back in a mall that I visited many times. Not hundreds but many. I used to know my way around the place. I could give directions to others. Not anymore. The problem is that the shopping mall is designed to disorient. They want you to walk in concentric circles. Unfortunately, the two ends of the circle do not always meet with the hope that you will find something else to purchase this is after all a bazar. And so,  we spent time in very loud conditions 87 decibels at the quiet point while we did things like buy milkshakes and fries. A mall is also a place to eat. Our day was not done yet because we had not found nearly all the things on the list. We went to a store that sold what we needed. Chairs. We now own two more camping chairs. Soon the whole family can have a place to sit outside by the fire that is not yet been lit. A day of shopping. Tomorrow, I won’t be going to a mall. I’ll do something much better for my soul. Return to the seashore

This is day two of two in a rather strange campground. We believe that the sites are calculated by the square inch and that every single piece of lawn has been turned into a potential money maker. Driving around it looks like a normal neighborhood with no houses just vehicles parked in driveways doing their thing a lot of campers I don’t know the exact number. Today we were fortunate to have family come to us and as it happened son number two and his partner showed up in early afternoon with lunch. The afternoon turned into a let’s see what we can do to make things work better session. Son number two comes with a set of skills the show allows him to show others how to fix things that are not working properly. Part of his own work experience, I think. And so, we looked at things like how to use pop rivets instead of machine screws. And how to reinforce drawers. And how to just make things a little easier as life goes on. Supper was a full-blown BBQ done on the gas range in the RV. It even included fresh venison or was it moose meat. I cannot tell the difference just by looking. There were hunting stories. There were reflections on whether or not hunting is necessary. I do not have an opinion.
As well the two chairs that I had purchased from the Internet were tested for the first time I’ll go straight to the answer sometimes you don’t get what you think you’re going to get. The two chairs for camping were judged to be a failure. I guess we keep looking for something better or else we continue to stand around. Our picnic table to me seemed to be a full-sized automobile. A visual illusion of course. I am getting used to such things. Tomorrow we will probably go shopping and decide where tomorrow night will be spent. Not at home just yet. Do we have things we need to buy? Well a large mat to put outside underneath the chairs that we no longer have would have been an option. As well I will look at full size camping barbecues although the need isn’t perhaps not there. My son had a really tiny stove one that you could fit in a small pocket on your coat and the Jews cast gas canisters. Something brought home from cycling in Europe. I remember that I have a special camping stove that I no longer use

Today we crossed another provincial border. It’s funny, that section in Quebec that seems to be taking decades to get finished yet it’s only 100 kilometres long. I wonder if I’ll ever see it completed. We made our trip across the bridges into the big city, and I realized how much I traveled by remembering where I’ve been. I could not see what was around me other than brief glimpses from time to time of a building front or a corner or other familiar sights. It’s almost sad to think they’ll never see this link big city again the way I have before. But so be it today we’re honest another small island here to camp and go to summer theatre. Which we just did. I knew people in cast. I knew people in the audience. I was really struck most of all by the number of other people carrying weight cans. A busload. They’re getting by so will I. I spent some time talking with another gentleman who has trouble hearing getting manage is. There are lessons to be learned here. And so tonight I will try to sleep a little easier.

I heard it whoop which means it’s OK to go. We did not go far today. In fact, we may have gone across the campground but no more than that. Elsewhere the heat continues, and we made a choice we will stay here under the trees in the rain listen to the Thunder it’s a good choice. So, what else is going on in my life? Well not very much. This is what vacation is supposed to be like. In the fridge we have milk and water and bubbly water. On the counter we have coffee. I actually tried a couple of different sorts today. I also ate some dessert cheesecake no carrot cake. I could not see it, but I do understand the difference. Outside the neighbours come and go. We think. They don’t say goodbye. They don’t say hello. I imagine this is what campground like is supposed to be like.
Sometime tomorrow maybe we will go away to a different place. Then I can have something more to tell you about drinking water and coffee and eating cake There is a Botanical Garden next door. I have been told by someone who is an interest in such things that is actually very nice. The rain made the sound very warm. We also briefly considered and then rejected the idea of going to a local cinema. There is a new Indiana Jones film available. I will see it later. After the critics have reduced it to nothing. To be fair I have not seen all four other movies yet. As well we spend time listening to the radio in the dirt. A complete rundown of the old tubes from 1980 and 1990 when our children were being really little children. The voices still sound good to me. I should suggest this to my oldest son. See if he recalls any of them.

Essex Wessex and Sussex. Can you guess where I am? No I did not cross the ocean. Small town in central New Brunswick. We are on the road finally. this is actually our first road trip. And of course it rained. A lot. Enough that we had to slow down for flooding.

Last night found us with visitors. Cyclists, in passage, and we loaned out the extra sleeping space. The difference was that theses were not strangers. One was a close friend our my children, back in the day.

I could have been a shipwright. I mean, not really, due to a lack of knowledge and lumber, but the various tools that I have gathered over  several decades would have done  a carpenter proud, back in the day. I did not develop the  skill set, and now I am watching the  pieces go off the new homes.

Perhaps I should figure out how to turn on the FM radio. Get the news.