Day 26

Today was another day spent at the reunion, starting off with a charity auction. There were many items up for grabs but the one that caught my eye was a painting that my late grandmother had done about 4 years ago. Her hands had become weak and unsteady by the time she painted that but it was a chance to buy something that has a lot of sentimental value now that she has passed. I wasn't too concerned what the cost was, and it seemed as though the other bidders realized that as well. I ended up paying $110 for the piece, something that will hopefully stay with me until they put me in the ground as well.

It was another enjoyable day of meeting new people and hearing some of their stories. By the time we left at around 9pm I was very tired though. There's so much activity at an event like that and it's not something I'm used to after travelling on my own for over three weeks. In the afternoon as the weather started to change for the better I began to get the itch to get back on the road.

Once I got to the room at around 10pm I said my goodbyes to the folks and then got some laundry done. I also booked rooms for the next two nights as I know what I want to see on the way to Washington. I'll be spending a few days out there and then heading home. It feels a little strange to only have two more hotel rooms I need to book for the trip home.

I've very much enjoyed the trip thus far, although at times it feels like I'm trying to get too much in. I look forward to the last days of the vacation, and by the same token I also look forward to going back home. Sleeping in my own bed will feel good again too, although overall I've been happy with the rooms I've stayed in.

Even with all the less than desirable weather I would do this trip again in a heartbeat as I've been so fortunate to see so much and experience so much of both Canada and the USA. As I sit here I'm already looking forward to new scenery and experiences next year, but first I need to finish this trip and get back to work for a while!

Painting my grandmother did, it's in good hands now