Et Maintenant, en Francais

Cathy and I have been on the road for 27 days and we've spoken to over 425 people. Most of the time we were bathed in sunshine, although lately we are wondering about the glow of the blue-sky-attracting antennae. We've had several days of problematic rain. We tried stapling plastic to the side of the roof where there was a leak, and that worked very well while we were stationary. That, and a light inside the the box, dried things out enough while we were in Quebec city area that we were full of confidence when we left Carol Anne's house. Our plastic roof lasted about 200 km before it lifted and today the weather has done the same.  It looks like a beautiful day to drive to PEI. Within a couple of days we will be taking the sculpture out of the box and it will face the weather unprotected, so all this is just preparation.

One of the Belle Maisons de St Antoine de Tilly

Delicious Local Cheese factory

Une autre belle maison

Bubbles in the truck at night

Back to St Antoine de Tilly, where Carol Anne hosted a soiree formidable! Her friends began to arrive a little before 5 p.m.. to see if we needed help setting things up. We were prepared, with at least 10 plates of delicious food, punch, et aussi, a film loaded into the DVD player and ready to roll! Everyone chatted about their recent activities, their families, their health and the images of the sculpture around the room for about an hour, then gathered a plate of fiddlehead salad, mini pita pocket sandwiches, homemade chips with chickpea and eggplant dips, and sat ready to hear about the sculpture. I managed a slow presentation in French, with only a little assistance with vocabulary. Amazing what I can recall from so many years ago when I did my eleventh grade in Quebec. I knew I had succeeded when the questions began. "What would I say to my Parliamentarian?" "Why do we ignore information, evidence, that sexually transmitted diseases are all around us?" "What are the biggest differences for women living with HIV?" "What is the pill burden, for someone diagnosed today with HIV?" I had explained to everyone that taking the pills each day reminds me not only that I am not 100% well, but also of the time when I was infected - a moment in my life that I would rather strike from my memory. It is never easy to live with HIV.

So much easier with friends and support.  I have that because people know I live with HIV. We talked about the need for some to keep their status a secret, and the emotional weight of that burden.

Yesterday we arrived at the home of a couple that I met in Zimbabwe in 1988. They did not know until they just happened to hear my voice on CBC, that I lived with a disease that several of their servants, cooks, guards and gardeners had contracted. Their reaction was to find out how to reach me, phone, and open their home to Cathy and I.  We are always so grateful for these friendly oasies along our route.

even Dandilions are beautiful

Welcome patch of Blue sky in New Brunswick

We noticed cocktails on this truck - Is the motive catching on?

For the next couple of days we will visit family and friends, so will only post after the sculpture is erected at the garden in St Andrew's. I'm looking forward to that, and I'm nervous. One of Carol Anne's guests spoke to me about the romantic atmosphere at Kingsbrae Gardens - the acres of themed flower beds that will become the carpet at the home where "This is Not a Cocktail Party" will spend the summer.

We are safe and sound - well safe!!