Day 2, Newfoundland

Travelling with one's daughter--who is 8--and no one else is a very different experience indeed, for both of us. At times I feel I may go out of my mind with her constant chatter, and yet, at other times, she makes me laugh and makes me proud and takes care of me in killingly funny ways that yet make me ruefully think if I weren't such a pathetic mother, she wouldn't need to do any such thing.

I've been reading much Emily these last few days, and the Montgomery is thick in my writing.

In fact, I likely wouldn't have pulled out the computer again to blog, risking waking the princess with my tippy-tappy typing, if I hadn't been reading. I am often compelled to journal, but I usually resist the muse, journalling in my mind instead. Why? A few instances of the wrong people finding the wrong bits of writing... the tendency to re-read after time has passed and writhe with annoyance and embarrassment at myself... more likely fear of dedicating myself to the craft and then finding I am a lousy writer, only at my best when echoing my heroes.

Out in the wild night, there is actual Saturdayness happening. Buddy Holly's "oh boy" was blasting moments ago... there are occasional shouts and laughter... someone is showering now down the hall. And I am in bed, having tried once already to sleep, now lashed here by single parenthood and kept from going wandering to find life and distraction.

Still, Maddie is a fun and upbeat pal to have along. As long as I remain mostly positive, or at least cue her so, she is relentlessly optimistic, although she is very difficult to entice out-of-doors once settled.

We found Georgetown Bakery today with the assistance of a most helpful bus driver and random passenger, and managed to catch the same bus driver on the return trip, as we were laden with bread and croissants. The driver even went to the trouble to root in his own pocket for change so I wouldn't pay $2 for a $1 paper, since they sell papers on their buses here (brilliance). He had a lovely lilting accent, Irish or Scottish, and was a delightful man. Looked like he should be in a CBC movie about an old fisherman who writes poetry or somesuch... an Alistair McLeod type.

We went to the pool this afternoon for a blissful (on Maddie's part) 1 3/4 hour public swim. As for me, there was a surfeit of rather obnoxious pre-pubescents, though whether the splashing and horsing boys were worst, or the flirty and precocious girls, is hard to say. Even some of the parents were... well... let me give you some examples: There was miss Tattooed white bikini who apparently was so shy she felt it necessary to clutch her breasts when she stood in the water. Perhaps then a white bikini was not the best choice, hm?? for an afternoon public swim with the kiddies?? And there was Miss Double EE cup (the rest of whose physique was rather my shape), whose ample bosomage was floating out of a ridiculously low-cut and too small bathing suit. The top halves of this impressive display reminded me of nothing so much as Jeannie's bagels boiling. To this floating array she clutched her baby with pride. Poor child will never need water wings as long as he sticks close to mama. The men were actually a bit better, seemingly more attuned to their children, not always in a good way, as the fellow playing 'shark' with his two kids who twice nearly flattened Maddie and did manage to thoroughly splash us, albeit in total ignorance.

This evening, we showered and then Maddie resistance to going out put the kaibosh on my plans to finally have a healthy meal. We ordered instead overpriced and overcooked pizza from a place delightfully called 'stoggers' and had that and coke (regular, not diet, despite my ordering diet and repeating it twice) ... bleah.... I am so full of bad food after two days here I feel I would like to live on rice and grapefruit for a good month. Tomorrow I must find groceries.

After food, we puttered around, read, made those hand-puppet style fortune tellers and told each others' fortunes ( I am destined to lose money, be rich and get an A on a test) and then in a brainstorm brought on by her pouting for TV, I introduced Maddie to YouTube and we rounded out the evening with an Alvin and the Chipmunks fest. She repeated "Bad Day" at least 12 times and choreographed quite an elaborate dance routine to it... was flushed with very rosy cheeks by bedtime.

Tomorrow we lunch with Heather's mom and then I think we are supposed to meet my friend Jeannie for supper. Visiting day. Maddie also wants to go swimming again. Yoi. I need Adavan to cope with that pool. I am certain the lifeguards must have some, maybe they'll share.