Due Diligence

Inspired by the good Dr over at ...marvel a day I'm feeling inspired to be rather more diligent about posting. It's not that I have nothing to write about - the opposite actually - but finding time to focus and write down the ideas I have (hopefully articulately) takes time. As I write this, I'm feeling a bit pathetic really. I mean, it's not as if I have kids, or a degree in progress , or something to keep me really busy.

So now, an update. Summer in Calgary has been filled with camping and hiking adventures in the mountains (see Flickr for LOTS of photos). I also had a weekend in Vancouver with my parents before they came and visited Calgary. We had an excellent time - the highlight was probably taking them for a trip to Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, and hearing comments like "I've seen pictures of those lakes, but I never believed they were really that blue". They are THAT blue. For a contrast, we also visited Drumheller, about 2 hours east of Calgary. It's a region where numerous dinosaur remains have been found, and the stark badlands of the area were quite a contrast to the alpine landscapes of the mountains.

The next adventure is a trip to Europe. Matt and I are flying to London this week, then to Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Liverpool, and Manchester. Quite a whirlwind in 2 1/2 weeks, but it should be lots of fun, and give me plenty of chances to practice my French. I managed to get by in Paris 5 years ago with very basic travelers French, but I'm hoping that 9 months at the Alliance Francaise has left me prepared for actual conversations. Who knows, I may even start blogging in French!