Man.
This is a big country. Takes a long time to fly across, even via the most direct route crossing many northern states. [It is still Seriously Snowy in North Dakota, by the way.]
But I made it at last, and ended up near O’Leary, Prince Edward Island sometime around 10 pm last night, after a couple of long flights, a de-icing and a long drive in a rainstorm.
Kicked off the PE Island tour today with a great visit to a school in O’Leary — toward the west side of the Island. Got a lovely warm reception at Hernewood Intermediate from teacher-librarian Nancy MacMillan and a group of 70 or so students from grades 7, 8 and 9. Very nice banner, too!
Hi guys! [waving] Go Hernewood Huskies!
O’Leary, of course, speaks to the Irish nature of many of the early immigrants to the region, and I was interested to hear elements of Ms. MacMillan’s family had arrived here aboard a coffin ship after fleeing the Irish Potato Famine. As Darby got to witness one of these ships first hand in A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, I was very happy to hear Nancy enjoyed the book!
It is wonderful to be back on the Island again, and I am very happy to be bringing Darby and her crew to the shores that spawned her. Interestingly, I am having a little trouble chasing down wifi, as the coffee shop of choice around these parts is Tim Horton’s and they don’t cater to the hang-out-and-write-in-the-coffee-shop crowd that I usually run with.
Drove down the Island today in a sleet storm, so spring has not made up its mind to arrive here, as yet. But for now…I sit in the sunshine, grateful for my Edinburgh gauntlets, which make typing in the chill wind on stolen wifi so much easier. Looking forward to meeting a whole selection of Summerside Intermediate students tomorrow. Darby’s ready to say hello!
More soon…
~kc
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