My neighbour - her name is Laura. She and her partner Desmond live down the street. And I really like them for lots of reasons. They are gardeners, they are really nice people, they are friendly, they can identify plants that I can't. (Laura's other mission in life is the preservation of natural species, in between delivering Canada's mail, God and Queen bless her.)
Desmond and Laura canoe, a lot. And they bring Lupa the Love - who also canoe's, looking adorable and jaunty in her life jacket. (Lupa is a border collie. I know of no other way for them to look, other than adorable and jaunty.)
I was reminded of her insane thing, as I received a postcard. Sent care of Desmond, to Mr. and Mrs. Spit, 2 doors down. Which made me smile in a week that has been otherwise short of smiles.
So, my neighbour. She left on the 20th of May, and she and about 100 other people, they are re-tracing the canoe voyage of David Thompson. Who is not merely famous for having a highway named for him. David was an explorer, a fur trader, but perhaps more importantly, he was the greatest map maker in Canada. I'm not sure that we could say he discovered areas of North America, after all, the First Nations had already found them. But David gave them names. He told us how to get there.
So, my neighbour, she is retracing his footsteps. Through 4 provinces, three river systems (drainage's) and for over two months, my neighbour is a coureur des bois.
And if that wasn't enough, you know, almost living in a canoe for about 90 days, she also sewed all the costumes for them to wear when they came into the host communities.Here's Laura (not in costume):
And here's Laura's means of transportation. Yes, that's a very large canoe. No, it's just painted to look like birch bark.
I follow Laura on the satellite map. I think warm thoughts when it rains. I made her Hudson's Bay Bread. (I should have knit her an entire outfit of wool) I suggested that she will have arms of steel when she finally comes home.
I am in awe.
