destination wedding: regina edition

Hello again reader,

This summer, vacation plans centred around my friend Charlotte getting married in Regina, Saskatchewan. As far as destination weddings go - this destination wasn't the most exciting in the world. So - plans started forming about the epic roadtrip that could develop from heading west.

Here are the stats:

I left August 7 and returned about 5 hours ago (August 25 - promptly found a dead mouse under the sink and have spent all afternoon being grossed out about that and not putting away any of my crap...)

Anyways...

Over the last 18 sleeps I have

- put 11,544 more kilometres on my car (Ethyl)
- driven through 12 states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)
- driven through 5 provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario)
- slept in my car 4 nights (Akron, Ohio; Atlanta, Iowa; Rock Springs, Wyoming; Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- slept in a hotel 4 nights (Troutdale, Oregon; Langley, British Columbia; Marathon, Ontario; North Bay, Ontario)
- slept in an airbnb apartment 4 nights (Regina, Saskatchewan)
- slept at Uncle Hans and Aunt Kinga's 1 night (Calgary, Alberta)
- slept at Shawn's 1 night (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
- slept at Michelle and Stu's 4 nights (Blumenort, Manitoba)

I have driven over the mountains, through the prairies, over the mountains, and back again.

I put my feet in the Pacific Ocean at Rockaway Beach in Oregon.

I got to hang out with Erica, Hans & Kinga, Megan, Shawn, Peter, Charlotte, Stephen, others at the wedding that I knew before, and those that it only feels like I knew them before, Nathan & Katy, and Michelle & Stu.

I had mostly good weather - there were a couple days where it was too hot for my non-air conditioned car, and a couple days where it rained all day (read the whole drive across Ontario) but overall I was comfortable.

I stopped at a stop on the Pony Express.

I stood on the top of beautiful gorges and was utterly awed while driving through them.

I played piano for a friends wedding at the oldest building in Saskatchewan (Regina?) - the chapel in depot.

I got to see a lot of Labrador people and it felt somewhat like home.

I visited places I have only read about.

More importantly I took a break.

Now I am back in Ottawa. I have 2 papers due by Monday but I would like to be done before Friday (1st day of work).

I should get to unpacking so I can sleep in my bed tonight...

It is 6 am and I have not yet been to bed. I am currently sitting in the school cafeteria watching the kids who were too stubborn to just go to bed despite bloodshot eyes and cranky attitudes. I'm doing fairly well - I got a 10 minute nap before heading out to lead discussion for a play at a local high school. That finished around 10/10:30 after which I headed back to Redeemer to start my chaperoning duties.

My hope is to sleep while they watch a movie this morning - we'll see if it actually happens or not. I have spent much of the evening staring at my civics notes... didn't get as far as I wanted - so I guess I"ll be doing that later...

I have no idea what I am saying anymore... This note shall stop.