Dateline: Aug.6, 2019. Danville California
Since last I wrote, it's been about a month. I can't believe that's accurate, even as I count the weeks and begin to think back through everything we've done along the way.
There was the second week of GTMF in which I hiked even more, and then grabbed a photo with Yefim Bronfman who was the guest artist playing Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto at the end of the week.
Turns out I was in the Aspen Festival Orchestra 22 years ago when Bronfman played the same piece there - my introduction to it - and midperformance he broke one of the lowest piano strings which necessitated a piano technician coming to the stage to replace it and retune the instrument… A memorable happening that I had only remembered when in Jackson Hole this time Bronfman needed to interrupt the dress rehearsal to request a swap of the concert grand with another option backstage. So I approached him after rehearsal and told him of my Aspen memory, and he acknowledged with a chuckle that he did indeed also vividly remember that experience. So that was fun.
And then the festival was over and I was headed back to Ontario to load up the U-Haul and drive our stuff across Canada with my son, to deposit in our new apartment in Edmonton.
Before I got to the airport my roomies with a car drove me into Jackson for a little touristing. We saw police on horses. I asked why he got to wear a cowboy hat while she got to wear a helmet. She said, “Cause I'm the smart one.”
We also grabbed lunch at The Bunnery (this is the delicious, if messy, veggie burger with cheese)
When we were (mostly) done loading the U-Haul truck back in Kitchener, we did what everybody should do when they're moving out of a house - host a chamber music reading party! What a great way to say goodbye.
On July 16 at noon my son and I pulled out of the driveway and headed East, to head North, to head West. We drove along the Trans-Canada Highway, through Sudbury, Soult Saint Marie, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and finally into Edmonton, arriving just about 52 hours later on the 18th.
We brought our cats along for the ride. They survived!
And at some point along the way I took a very brief nap on the U-Haul ramp. It was surprisingly comfortable! I'd do it again.
I took a break from writing this post and lost my train of thought, not that it should be very complicated simply recounting the steps along a summer’s worth of travel.
more next time.
watch this space!