Here is another reason I missed a few blogs: a play in the Fringe Festival in Toronto by an old buddy of mine. Old play, too. (First produced at the Fringe in 1993.)

I went to INTO by Dave Carley, starring DeAnn De Gruijter, Jane Luk, Randy Baumer and Walter Rinaldi. It was a 70-minute show, I think. Anyway, we were warned , no late entry, no re-entry if you have to go out, and to make sure, the toilets would be locked. Captive audience.

I’ve known Dave Carley for a long time, at least 20 years, I guess. I called him an old buddy - sort of an old friend - certainly amicable and cordial but not really familiar. Nevertheless I have followed his career with interest. He made all the right moves, far better than I. And he is very witty, and has a magic way with words and puns and associations. He is very quick, almost too fast. I listened very hard to the dialogue with no time to laugh because I was missing things even as the actor went on. He has ideas, he can accurately satirize current trends and attitudes. He builds editorials into whatever situation arises and he gives you something to ponder, if you have time. I admire him a lot.

But…

INTO wasn’t a play. It was a contrived situation offering food for wit but no time to think. It really didn't have a beginning, a middle and an end and there was no arc in the story, nor did any of the four characters change. They moved around, or changed partners, or made discomfiting discoveries, but I don’t think they learned anything. The question is, did I?

I still admire Dave Carley.

People are telling me I should talk about packing for a trip. I have gone carry-on for years now but my latest trip was a challenge because it was so varied. I had to think carefully, starting at the end, and assessing how much I could handle.

My trip: It began with an 18-day luxury cruise of French Polynesia (most of which I had done just last May and June, repeating this time deliberately because the trip promised a conclusions with stops at Pitcairn Island without a landing, and at Easter Island, with two days of excursions, unfulfilled); landing at Lima, Peru (with an extra unplanned excursion because of an emergency, already described); a flight to Dallas and a flight to Vancouver (using a wheelchair because of my vulnerable leg which required easy luggage for the sake of my pusher and me both); then four days visiting a dear friend in Vancouver (good for laundry, too); then a cross-city bus to Horseshoe Bay to catch a ferry ride to Gibson’s for another four days with another dear friend; followed by another ferry ride back to Horseshoe Bay and a cab ride back across the city to the train station to board VIA Rail for a 4-night, 4-day journey tho Toronto. I did it on one carry-on and a small backpack, mainly to carry my laptop compeer and my iPad mini.

How?

Well, as I’ve said before, you have to brace yourself: do not mind that you look like L’ll Orphan Annie, same outfit day after day - but not entirely. I had to dress (sort of) for dinner every night on the ship, not formally but what they call golf club casual. I had one long, black, embroidered Guatemalan dress and a long black skirt with different tops some of which doubled with cropped (black) pants or long (black) pants. I won’t go on. You’ll notice my colour scheme: black and white. Everything went with everything else, including shoes (three pairs) and my security blanket: a big, warm shawl, black and white, of course. I didn’t pack it, not only because it was too bulky to pack but also because I needed it, always, (I don’t like air conditioning.)

I had a black, foldable raincoat (nice design, looks like a theatre coat) which as it turned out, I never wore until I needed a housecoat on the train. (They provide terry robes on the ship.) I had a cabin with a sink and a toilet but I had to go down the corridor for my shower and didn’t have a bathrobe, so I wore my raincoat. The only thing I didn’t wear was my bathing suit; my leg wasn’t quite ready for the pool.

That’s all.

I think, though, that I need a lighter-weight carry on bag.