No really, pale IS the new tan (Pelee Island)

Notes on the country you should know and love

For the suntan-challenged, summer on the beach turns tricky. My forehead, shiny beacon of canvas that it is, is not happy with me. I just got back from spending a few days ( what they call "a long weekend" I suppose) in Ontario Canada. Really, in the nether regions of Lake Erie, thankfully claimed by Ontario. If there were speed limit postings on this small island they would read "60km/h" -- a mere 30mph for the U.S.-bound drivers among us.

Also, mainland Canada enjoys highway signs advising the "compulsory" use of seat belts. None of the "click it or ticket!" mantras here, just the gentle advisory to motorists.

Halfway through the drive through Ontario my sunglasses popped a gasket. I get cranky when the sun is in my eyes, so I pulled to the nearest grocery with the hope, soon dwindled, that I could find a nice pair of shades. Preferably without Mickey Mouse on the plastic frames. I exited with two pairs of school safety scissors, wide clear packaging tape and Mentos gum. The scissors were to cut the tape to fix my glasses. The gum was for no reason. Well, the sunglasses repair job didn't last longer than 78km, but the grocery is exiting because they do not give plastic bags (bags of any kind, in fact) to customers. Today I just got back from grocery shopping and wasted enough produce bags to make a fleece jacket. What a bummer. So, Canada, you're on my happy list for not consuming billions of tons of plastic.

The Pelee Island Journals

Travis and the Fortney co. treated me to sand (free foot exfoliating), the near-joy of catching Lake Erie walleye, and the largest game of Gin Rummy at the dinner table I've even had the pleasure to be a part of (that's six (6!) whole people). The infamous table is pictured to the left.



I might have caught something that nearly resembles this had I casted more than once. The Fortney fellows and I went out on the lake in a boat with fly rods. I wore a beach-worthy wide-brim hat awaiting a fish (any fish) that regrettably was never caught.


It might also be exciting to note that I, for reasons of personal security, found it necessary to wear a ducky float. This was made necessary by the following scenario: Travis found it necessary to drive a boat with me in it. Exhibit A (ducky) follows Exhibit B (boating crazy-man), below: