Down time.

Through a bizarre series of misadventures, miscommunications and plain, old-fashioned school work, it just so happened that no one was able to come out to the cottage for the weekend.

I miss you all, but I have enough loner in me to ensure that this is not the end of the world. Already I can see the laundry list of things that should be done and need to be done, but for the time being I'm quite content to laze around and think of all the things I should be doing.

The benefit dinner is spooling back up again, but won't be held until August 6th. Perfect timing, in my books. In retrospect, trying to organize it with only a month and a half to spare was a pretty bad idea. But I have learned my lesson, and will take a little bit more care and dilligence this time around. Caterers and sponsors are the next items on the agenda.

Andrea and I met up with my sister Jess and our grandmother ("Grammy") for lunch at Morrison's this afternoon. That woman is a character. We've long learned that anything she sets her mind to is a done deal. Heaven help you if you want to try and buy that woman lunch - we've given up on the prospect of it now. What's more, it's a rare meal that she doesn't try and offer you some of her food in addition to the meal that she's already bought for you.

It was really good seeing her again. I really don't see her as much as I ought to, considering that we both live in Kingston. But now that work's a bit more relaxed, it'll be the perfect chance to go in and visit with her more often.

I'm having fun looking on mls.ca and thinking about what kind of a place I'd like to get. It seems like there's a lot of variety out there, and a lot of different features to choose from. The one thing that I really want to insist on, however, is a den.

What can I say? I like the idea of having my own private, quiet work area. I dream of a small library filled with books on foreign policy. I long for a soft leather chair that I can sprawl out on while I smoke a pipe and read the newspaper. And I pine for a hardwood desk that will take a minimum of four people to carry into the room.

I think condo shopping is going to be fun. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I should probably get a job first.