september adventure
Hey there, Internet! I have had an unusually active and adventurous September this year. Considering my Septembers have been purely school-focused since 2012, this has been a pretty fun break from the norm. One of the courses I was to take this semester was cancelled, so instead of having two six-week classes, I only have one - and that one starts on October 24!This has left me to enjoy the end of summer, and beginning of autumn, and really appreciate these weekends and all they have to offer.I did something crazy and exciting earlier this month - I sang with a band! In front of real, live people! What? Only something I have dreamed of doing since FOREVER. Seriously. It was awesome. I even developed an appreciation for Country music (which I always just blanket thought I disliked.)
September 17, 2016 @ Greenfield Park
My brother-in-law, and his uncle asked if I'd like to participate in a group to sing at a Family Fun Day fundraiser for local elementary schools. At first I was hesitant, and shy, but as I went to the practices I started having a lot more fun than I thought I would have had. And it was a nice change from focusing on school work yet again. I channeled my inner Jem and sang my little heart out. I wasn't even nervous, which surprised the heck out of me. It was the first time I'd ever performed outside, too. It was a challenge, but we survived the wind and weather. And I'll be honest - I miss my band mates. I miss the weekly practices, though I'll be happy doing them on a non-weeknight if we do something again. I am not a person who is good at being awake after 8pm. ;)
This past weekend, Shawn and I took the dogs and drove to visit my parents in Kingston. My parents weren't able to make it to the band performance, so I said I would come visit them. We had a ton of food, and walks along the water. And I love the area that my parents are in so much. I will move out there one day. I will. 
Shawn stayed one night, and came home by train the next day. I drove myself and the dogs home on Monday. ALL. BY. MYSELF. I'm so proud of me. Thopse of you who have been driving since you were teens are probably scoffing at me right now. But you know what? I don't care. =P I've only had my license for five years, and I don't do much of the driving at all. Last year's jaunt with Yoshi to a dog show in Cornwall was the first time I'd ever a) driven that far b ) driven that far BY MYSELF, and c) went on a trip by car without another human being. So a four hour drive home, with two dogs, was a Big Deal for me. I even learned how to use Cruise Control! Who says you can't teach an old dog (40-year old Cat) new tricks. [Side bar: WHERE HAS CRUISE CONTROL BEEN ALL MY LIFE??]This weekend I'm off an yet another adventure to visit my cousin Sheryl in New Brunswick! I was finally able to find some way to redeem my Air Miles (before they expire in December. I'll not get into how much that makes me do a Very Grumpy Face. Nor will I get into how DIFFICULT it was to try and redeem any of my miles. Ugh.) So I'll be visiting for a short, whorl-wind weekend, where we will celebrate our 40th years together. (Birthdays long past, but still in the right year!) I haven't been to visit Sheryl since 2008 - OMG 2007!! --, and that trip was cut short because I was still so sick all of the time.This time around, I'm flying both ways, and I am trying to not think about how terrified of flying I am.So, I'll just leave this photo here. One that I took on Saturday night, near my parents' place. Because it's gorgeous. And peaceful. And I love it there.
And I will fondly remember this September full of adventures. So many new things I accomplished, or tackled. I think I'm doing 40 ok.