Drove to Calgary, left car and flew to Halifax the next day (after 2 cancelled flights during the WJ strike, rerouting thru Winnipeg and bags delayed two days). Many excellent oysters (2 dozen two days in a row), lobsters, and scallops, coupled with 2 weeks of driving around NS seeing the sights made for a very nice holiday.

Back to Calgary for a few days to see Studio Rogers (highly recommend) and the library then drove to Edmonton for the Fringe Festival in Old Strathcona and saw 11 shows and the West Edmonton Mall. Apart from the mosquitos, good time. Drove to Radium Hot Springs for hiking and hot spring bathing before heading home.

While away, our two sister house sitters took care of the house and Taisho, and fires raged on the other side of the lake and displaced some 10,000 people, all of whom are now back home (except for those whose houses burned). Came home to several mutant cucumbers and lots of eggplants, shishito, carrots and tomatoes.