Saturday 21 July 2007

Swastika/Kirkland Lake,

Monday, June 25, 2007

ON Some eyebrows were raised as Yovany and I trekked the streets in the residential and retail sections of Kirkland Lake. Some came forward. Two skateboarders stopped. One of them remarked, "Now for sure you're not from town.?" Another man in his car waited for us. "I thought you guys were long gone." A 'born again' woman asked us about our costumes and if we were 'born again.' I have little patience for people who cannot carry out a respectful conversation of hearing and responding, so we left her abruptly.

A cab driver rolled down his window, "Hey, I saw you on TV." Some women standing outside their business were betting on whether we were Buddhist or Hare Krishna monks. There were lots of greetings. The last two days have been frankly physically painful. I have experienced muscle spasms around the knees.

Foot baths, swimming, massages and regular breaks are helping. Billie the parrot and Doug walked with me for a little stretch today. Billie actually got on my shoulder and was my passenger for a while. She was fairly well behaved except for the fact that she pooped on me and nibbled my ear a few times. Laurel, from the Northern Daily News, met us at the miner's memorial sculpture on the edge of Kirkland Lake for an interview and photos. She just finished an article about a tea party and she perked up at the prospect of meeting monks.

By the end of the day we were fatigued and Doug was exhausted after working at the computer for a few hours as well as attending his other duties. We returned back to the Homestead Campground and visited with and fed the three Fallow deers (from Europe) who were pets of the Dutch couple who own the campsite. As I write this I am being devoured by mosquitoes. Such is life in the bush.

40 kms

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