Stratford Sundries, 2016-1

Mercer Hall Inn
Stratford, Ont.
"our" residence during the week
Our room is just above the entrance at the left.

Hudson, Ohio

1. Here we go--the annual potpourri of posts about our doings in Stratford, Ont., while we attend a week-long orgy of play-going: eleven plays in six days ... (more below).

2. This morning (Monday) I still went to Open Door Coffee Co. in Hudson (my morning routine), where I read my quota of pages for Kirkus Reviews--an October book that I'll review later this week (can't tell you what it is: Kirkus policy). Then ... home to load the car, close up the house, etc. Last year we drove away without our tickets; fortunately, we remembered before we got too far. We'll have a quick lunch, then head out sometime before noon, probably--a drive of a little over 300 mi.

3. Oh, I forgot to mention in yesterday's post: While we were sitting in the theater waiting for the Woody Allen movie to commence on Sat. night, we saw an ad for some kind of car (I think--wasn't playing all that much attention). The driver, in close-up, was roaring along--and reciting many of the lines from W. Blake's "The Tyger"--one of the poems I've memorized, so I recited it right along with the actor, a decision that some of our theater-neighbors did not (I think) appreciate. I didn't care! (Link to the poem.)

I just checked online--but couldn't find the ad (well, I didn't look all that hard; maybe one of you could find it?).


Stratford, Ont.

1. We arrived about 6:20 with a fairly easy trip from Ohio. Too bad we can't just drive straight across Lake Erie--would be a lot quicker. Instead, via Detroit and Windsor, Ont. A bit of a thundershower here and there, but Customs was quick (well, relatively speaking), and we love the drive, the last 30 miles (or so) of which are so purely rural that they remind me of drives through the countryside in the Southwest when I was a kid.

2. Dumbest thing I've done so far: I texted our son (I thought) when we got near the border--but he didn't reply (he's normally wonderful about responding). Tried again later. Nada. Then--much, much later--I noticed that I'd not sent the texts to him but to AT&T, which had sent me a message about rates in Canada! I'd been replying to their text! Wonder what they'll do with Where u at? and the other one? At least I used no profanity!

3. Tonight we're settling into our room (we'll both write and read a little bit), and tomorrow the Play Orgy commences, matinee and evening the entire week (except for a matinee on Sunday, after which we head for home).

More tomorrow ...  Just remembered: This is our fifteenth consecutive year ... so fortunate we've been ...