A REALLY GOOD DAY AWAY!

Yesterday we took a drive and went into the city for the day.  We had some shopping to do, and I still desperately needed that haircut, so we got up early (6am), and pulled away from home around 7:30am.

It was the perfect day for a drive - no wind (our biggest pet peve when getting out on the highway) bright sunny skies and a nice moderate temperature.

I drove on the way in and we were there in under 2.5 hrs.

First stop - Hair salon - there was no one waiting, so in I went and my hairdresser chopped all the long curly hair off to a short bob.  Perfect for summer, and I was pleasantly surprised that I still have a little curl left from my perm - so actually - it is perfect!

Then we met up with one of our friends (one my girlfriends on my friends quilt), for lunch.  What a delight! It was so great to  see her and catch up - and yes we did talk about the third friend on the quilt.  She lives in Alberta, so we were missing her - but she is always in our conversations.

Then it was on to our son's home.  He was at work, and I am still not all that comfortable being in his house, even tho just 11 months ago it was my house, so we headed next door to see our very much loved and missed ex-neighbour - and of course her two cats( my adopted kitties) Katy and Minty.

Katy ran to me the moment she heard my voice, and of course before I even had a chance to say hi to Elaine, Katy and I were cuddling and smooching just like I had never moved away and left her behind.  I was always the cat-sitter when Elaine and her husband went away - sometimes for long periods of times, so both cats know me as their "other Mom".

Elaine is from New Zealand and of British descent.  She makes scones of every description that are out of this world.  I could smell them when I walked in, but I didn't say anything.  Truth to tell -I was kind of hoping she might make some for our visit... I have been going through scone withdrawal!

We had a lot of catching up to do here too., so we sat down and started to visit.  After awhile she announced that she had made us a treat - "your favourite" she smiles and says.... OH MY GOSH - CHEESE SCONES!  She only make those for special occasions - we were overjoyed!

We visited for a couple of hours, but here is the thing... Poor Gary is very allergic to cats.  When we lived next door he never stayed in the house with the cats overlong.  He visited often - just not long!

I could tell by his voice that he was starting to have problems, but he didn't want to leave, he was enjoying seeing Elaine just as much as I was.

By the time we left, I knew he was really out of sorts.

We went back to our son's house, and by now he was home from work.  We loaded the car with some garden things I had left behind from the move, and then we stood outside and chatted awhile - beside an immensly scented miniature lilac bush in a city planter beside our car.  The longer we talked the worse poor Gary got - so we decided to head home.

We didn't need to have supper - we had had a large lunch and we were full of coffee and cheese scones so we said our goodbyes and headed home.

Gary started the drive home, but he was feeling so rotten, I took over and drove the rest of the way home.

We weren't thinking cat allergies, or pollens, or lilacs before we left - he hadn't prepared himself for those things.  He has been fine out here - he works outside all day long in a yard full of vegetation, including lilacs, and he has been fine.

Next time, we leave home for the day we will think ahead to what we will be doing, and take proper artillery with us!

It was still a good trip - Good to see our son, Good to see our friends ( including cats), Good to see the city and realize how very happy we are that we don't have to live in all that noise and commotion anymore.

And it was really GOOD to get home just as the sun was making it's way behind the mountains.