It’s another Monday, but my time off last week did me a world of good. I’d been concerned about what Chicago would be like during the convention, from congestion to terrorism, and so I convinced my dad we should get out of the city for the duration. We were supposed to go to a family wedding next month that wasn’t going to work out for us (not for them, to be clear, hopefully all will go smoothly and they’ll be blissfully happy) so we swapped out that destination for one of our choosing.
Where did we go?
Newfoundland.
Which I adored, sorry to ruin the tension there but I loved it so much I can’t imply anything else.
I know I sound like such the jetsetter, what with Costa Rica earlier this year, but I’m really not, it will be a long long time before I set off again.
It turns out my fears about the DNC were unfounded, thankfully, and though it was congested, everyone has said it was manageable. And it was really hard to watch the DNC because of the time difference: 2.5 hours.
My draw to Newfoundland was part puffin and part Republic of Doyle, a fun detective show starring and created by Alan Hawco, himself from Newfoundland. Just watch the opening 30 seconds and you’ll want to go there too.
But once there, it wasn’t merely the scenery, it was the people. It felt like I’d been there before, somehow, and leaving was sad in a way I hadn’t had leaving a place, watching it all vanish from the plane.
And of course there was travel drama there and back: storms in Toronto on the way out, which delayed us by hours; a “canceled” flight and a new, impossible connection through Toronto on the way home. I say “canceled” because on our way to our substitute flight we saw people boarding the flight to Montreal they said was “canceled” a the same time it was scheduled to leave.
Hmm.
Toronto airport is a universe unto itself, but we can save the details of that for another time. If you’ve been through it, you know.
One of the best parts of St. John’s, though, and the trip was, after people sussed me out (you know how inscrutable I am, keeping my thoughts to myself), the excitement and hope about VP Harris and Gov Walz. A man who owned an incredible gift shop; our tour driver, a retired actor and transplant to Newfoundland; other visitors on our tours from other parts of Canada; a fiber artist at the artist collective in Quidi Vidi.
The joy they have inspired is palpable everywhere. The man at the shop described donald as “the victim in chief.” People wanted to know we feel it here too, wanted to know it was real. Even coming home from the airport the taxi driver here in Chicago sought similar reassurance, that Harris/Walz can and will do it.
So long as we all vote, we agreed. He enjoyed the conversation so much, he missed the exit.
Back to Newfoundland, there is so much art being made in St. John’s and around there, it’s inspiring. And fiber arts are as prominently displayed as any other form in The Rooms, the big museum there. The art exhibits were largely modern, and fantastic. There was an art installation called Burnout: Hot 4 The Moment that was outstanding, and installation art isn’t generally my thing.
I left with my creative well, low before the break, renewed.
So I am back, and I am wonderfully rested, and I’ve been to a place that was even better than I had hoped. With the joy of Harris/Walz spreading even farther afield than we could have known.
Not bad for a week without posts.
And with that I wish you a wonderful Monday.
A Bit to Read 
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