Long Weekend in May

Saturday Morning ...

Sunlight streams in the windows. Clouds of mist swirl across the lake and reach up toward the heat. I think this will be a beautiful day despite the weatherman's dire predictions about rain this afternoon.

Last night I dreamed that Anne Marie and I fought off a ferocious beast. She looked as she had the first evening I met her at the tapas bar with Tammy and Carlos ... large, strong, confident ...

Her party was wonderful. I never will get the hang of holding a wine glass, a plate of hors d'oeuvres and a napkin in one hand so that the other is free to shake hands, I am afraid. Anne Marie told Tammy she finally got the manoeuvre perfected and then it was too late to practise it as she became too ill to attend cocktail parties. She, however, would have handled her ineptitude with greater aplomb and self deprecating humour than I can rally in large crowds of strangers.

I did meet (after three glasses of wine) a very nice couple from Lunenburg — Anne Marie's brother and his wife. Up till then, even Tammy, Carlos and I were having difficulty making conversation with each other, none of us comfortable at small talk gatherings. Anne Marie's brother is a musician, and I hope that Kerry, Maurice, Raphael and I can go to hear him perform in Halifax while I am there.

Marilyn Smith is having a show today. I may go if Marta doesn't want to have a bigger adventure.

Tomorrow I get to meet the pair of Shih Tzus that Kenya and I may be babysitting for two weeks in September. I hope they are little dogs with the confidence and ease of big dogs. Kenya is fine with small, quietly confident dogs, but dislikes the yappy aggressive ones. The last one of those we met bit Kenya on the nose. Most just bitch at her, and she bitches back, but her bitchiness sounds much more ferocious than theirs because of the size of her voice, teeth and body.

I am off with my Earl Grey tea to enjoy the sunshine .