I was swept with the most wonderful wave of nostalgia as I walked up the street to grab a coffee from the Second Cup.  It's hot and hazy out, kind of muggy, and there was a sort of gritty hot breeze blowing up the street.  I was assailed by the scent of hotdogs and suddenly I was ten years old again attending the YMCA's day-camp on Ward Island, fishing-bucket hat on my head and my sport shorts on backward.  I loved that summer camp.  I did so many interesting things and learned such neat stuff.  The same can be said for almost all my camp experiences, though; summer was a wonderful time when I was freed from my typecast role as the gawky, loser kid at school.  Suddenly I was transported to the long grasses on Snake Island, the rickety clubhouses where we changed into bathing suits for canoeing, the smell of burning weiners on the overnight campout...  It was a brief flash of memory, but a happy one.
On Wednesday and Thursday I was at "Union School" learning how to be a negotiator on my union's bargaining unit.  I kind of thought it would be dull as these things sometimes are, but it was really interesting and even fun.  We did many exercises and workshops to help develop strategy, to break down the negotiating process into manageable pieces, and to alleviate any anxiety we might have.  I'm a little disappointed that I might have to resign from the unit, though, as negotiating will certainly conflict with my schooling.  If it only takes one day a week every other week, I might be able to swing it.  That's something I need to figure out.  I hope that I can swing it, because it will be such an excellent opportunity to learn about the process and really come to understand all that goes into it.
This coming Thursday, Rick and I will be driving up to my cottage because my friend, Kristina, is finally getting married on that weekend.  Of course, Kris lives up near my cottage and she's my oldest friend, with whom I'm still friends, having bonded when we were still in diapers.  I believe we were introduced and seconds later we were sitting fully clothed in the wading pool on my cottage's deck.  Charming.  Anyway, she's marrying her long-time boyfriend and the father of their wonderful daughter.  More exciting news regarding coupling (I can't believe I just typed that) is that a friend of the family and his wife have a new baby !  This would be the man that, when I was a little girl, I wanted to marry.  So, I am now something of a quasi-aunt, which is pretty darn keen.  I must make a visit to their house in order to meet Baby Kai and welcome him into the world.  I'll see if I can do so on Sunday evening as they live fairly close to the museum.
Anyway, getting back to the wedding, we've rented a car from Discount for a very reasonable rate and we'll be packing up my cat, who will remain with Mom up there, and probably some of my art supplies (I'm working on the assumption I'll be back up there for a week in August).  We'll come back on the 27th - Rick's miffed since he was planning to get his license on that day, but I told him not to complain since he's been talking about doing it for over four years.  Then I reminded him that people do drive in Hawkesbury and he could probably get it while we're there.  I'm really looking forward to going, both to my cottage and to the wedding.  I'm bugged, however; by not having anything to wear.  I might have to sacrifice my day off tomorrow for dress shopping.  That ought to be depressing.  I'm hoping to find an inexpensive little number that I can dress down for this wedding, as it's informal, and that I can dress up for another friend's more formal wedding in August.  I know, it's a toughy.  I'm going to be optimistic, though.  Halfway through the summer as it is, hopefully I'll find something on sale.