Since the last post I've been to Canada for the Gals' Spring Fling, driven through 10 states, and gone to RCC twice. Much to update on, and I will post pics. Upcoming events are Triangles in Danbury on 6/16. The theme is "Fetish Prom" and this month everyone will be staying at the Maron hotel. Next weekend, June 23, I'll be at RCC again. Summer is kicking up and looks like Saturdays will be well-attended during the nice weather.
So the trip to Gananoque, Ontario for the Gals' Spring Fling had a rough start. I thought to pull out my passport the night before and put it into my purse so I wouldn't forget it. Great idea, right? Right....except it was nowhere to be found. I tore my house apart looking for it, but since the last time I used it I wasn't even living in this house, I seriously wondered if I had completely lost it. I was also dreading telling my sister Maureen that our planned trip might be cancelled because I wouldn't be able to cross the border. I got very little sleep that night, and continued looking the next day. About four hours after we had planned to start driving, I found it. I quickly packed some clothes and we hit the road.
Maureen and I got as far as Utica, NY and caught a quick nap at a hotel there. We continued early in the morning, and arrived in Gananoque with an hour to spare before the first activity we registered for. We were to have lunch down the road in Rockport and then take a boat to Heart Island. Heart Island is absolutely gorgeous. There is the huge Boldt Castle and several outbuildings currently being restored. They were originally a gift of love from George Boldt to his wife Louise, but building ceased and the island left to nature when Louise died suddenly. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority is doing a beautiful job with the huge amount of work restoring and maintaining the island.
After about three hours left to ourselves to wander the island, everyone got back on the boat and we had a tour of the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence Seaway. When we returned to the hotel, Charith was waiting for us. Charith is a good friend that Maureen and I know from our high school days, and since he lived a mere 90 minutes away in Ottawa, we convinced him to come hang out with us for the weekend. While the rest of the gals went to see Nunsense II at the local playhouse, Maureen, Charith and I headed to Ottawa to see his current stomping grounds.
The highlight of the next day (Friday) was getting to know some of the girls before dinner and dancing at the Royal Canadian Legion. There were many opportunities, including my favorite, the speed meeting. As I moved from person to person, it got harder to move along after only five minutes. It definitely succeeded in making everyone feel more comfortable chatting later on. Friday also offered a presentation by Jan Brown about Fantasia Fair, which I will be attending and presenting at in October. And of course dinner at the Legion was excellent, but dancing with the band afterwards was the best. The band, The Reasons, were fantastic and foolishly left a spare mic set up which no one was shy about grabbing to play lead singer for a song or two.
Saturday brought a pool party, best legs contest, and decorating for the big dinner Saturday night. The weather was perfect for being outside, and I like to pretend I got a tan in the couple hours I was out in the sun. Maureen and Charith wandered along Gananoque's main street to do some souvenier shopping while I helped transform the hotel's restaurant into our ballroom with plenty of balloons. Before dinner was a fashion show, where a handful of girls modelled outfits purchased at Sears the day before. The styles ranged from daytime casual to cocktail hour appropriate, and everyone had a great time with the show. Dinner was a buffet, and everything was delicious. The band of the night was the Mumbo Jumbo Voodoo Combo and played cajun and zydeco style music, to which everyone danced the night away.
Sunday was a lot of sad goodbyes as we exchanged contact info with new friends and packed everything for the long drive home. Even Charith, who didn't know anyone other than Maureen and I, had an excellent time. I'm already looking forward to next year.
