oh, the plans they are a changin'

Of course May was going to be like this. With an open-ended calender, an arrival of an American friend (yes, that'd be Einar) or two (the other Oregon Boys, or at least the few that are up right now), and plans to travel somewhere, a few specific places, but with no specific dates other than Mat's plan arriving from the UK on the 16th, there was going to be a lot of shifting around. I mean, that's how life is normally, but when there's an actual schedule (like a job or classes) to work around, you don't notice as much. As well, my brain has been doing that yearly shift from school-mode to home-mode. I don't physically change all that much (I do tend to wear gumboots more here), but the purpose that runs through my days does change, some. It feels odd not to be a student, although I do want a break from it. It fels odd not to have books to read and papers to write. I continue to learn and be interested in things, as well as expound upon subjects I may or may not know something about (much like writing essays), but this happens in conversation or in my journal, not for marks.

So May is what it is, just like all the other months are what they are, only without a set schedule I tend to feel a little lost. I still enjoy the things I'm doing, though, which are at the moment things like planning a trip south with that American friend (you know, the one with the big red truck), enjoying the warming weather, watching Father Ted DVDs, taking bike rides, fighting off the local cold, and of course hanging out with the cats. Also, last night we went down to Sydney to catch Angelo Spinazzola's CD release party at none other than the uber-classy Smooth Herman's. That was good, but again I feel a bit like a fish out of water--or maybe it's more accurate to say a fish plopped into a brand-new fishbowl. The folks here are my friends, but it's been a while since we've all hung out and after they ask me how my year was and I ask them the same, it takes a bit of time to get comfortable again.

As it stands now, the plans are that Einar and I will leave Monday during the day and head to Halifax. We'll spend the night there with a friend, take in the city, all that. Then we'll head to PEI to see Patti Garcia (my "hot tamale") and spend a day or maybe two touring the island. Neither of us have been there before, so that should be a good time. Then we'll head state-side, making our way to New Hampshire. Einar has to move and get back to work and take care of a bunch of stuff, so he's not coming to New York with me (sorry Granny and Grandpa!), but I'm certainly heading there to see my wonderful family. After that I'll head home (perhaps by bus? that ought to be fun, ha ha HA) in time to see my bro Mat arrive home from Ireland, even if I don't meet his plane. (To Granny and Grandpa: I'll let you know later on, when things are a bit firmer, when I'll be in your area, but at the moment it looks like it'll be between the 13th and the 15th.)

At least, that's how it stands right now.

Any suggestions for places to see in either PEI or New York? Places that you guys have either been and loved or heard about but never been to? I might have to veto Anne of Green Gables, though. Unless Gill can make a water-tight case for visiting the home of the red-haired heroine. Gill?