It’s horrible how I dread baking, then when I start, I think it’s easy and no problem.  I dread walking the dog, then once we’re outside, I enjoy it.  I just don’t understand this aversion to things I know I’m going to be doing anyway.

In any case, I’ve managed to bake around 400 fruitcakes this month, so feel good about that.  This gives me a good start on the season, so for once I won’t be crying while I’m simultaneously baking, packaging and mailing.

On Friday I had a lovely lunch out with my friend Petra.  We met at Earl’s and sat at the window where we had a view of the launch party for the new downtown pier.  Kelowna’s becoming very chi chi, don’t you know.  I rarely go downtown, so whenever I do I’m as surprised as any tourist.

But this is about to change, as I’ve been e mailed the training dates for becoming a volunteer tour guide at the art gallery.  I’ll have to attend on October 3, 8, and 10 from 1:00-4:00 and on October 18 from 10:00 – 1:45!  It had better be very hard to learn how to say to a grade one class, “Now why do you think the artist made the sun blue when we know the sun isn’t blue?”

For fun I’ve written another letter to the editor and hopefully it’ll be in the local Capital News in the next few days.  As usual, people with more money than conscience are asking for land to be removed from the agricultural land reserve.  I love writing letters like that, as it’s a good opportunity to practice slicing with a pen rathen than a sword.

Another bit of good news is that Luke’s capitulated and has hired a nice immigration consultant to help him do the paperwork to get Jan into Canada.  Now at least we have some hope it’ll happen in our lifetimes.

Luke wanted to do it himself, and when we printed the guide on how to fill out the forms, and the guide was over an inch thick, I told him I thought this might be a tricky process.  He said no, we’d work through it and use the guide, step by step.

Question number one, under which class are you applying, stumped us.  We read the definitions and mulled it over, and I said, “I think we need a consultant.”  Luke insisted he’d do it himself.  He filled out the application this spring, mailed it in, and it was just returned incomplete.

Oh well, better late than never and so hopefully Jan’ll be here soon.  But soon means probably 12 – 14 months, according to the consultant.

In the meantime Nicky continues to rent the basement, and basically keeps to himself down there.  He’s good in that he’ll mow the lawn or blow the pine needles off the driveway when required.  I suppose it won’t be too long and we’ll need the inevitable snow removal from the driveway.

And so I keep going, because cooler weather means the beginning of the long slide into Christmas, which is my goal.  That’s just 12 short weeks away, so my God, if I can’t keep going until then I should be shot.