TO State of Mind

In case you're wondering, there's been a dearth of crafting here. It's been, um, stressful in these parts. I refuse to immortalize my renovation anxiety; I'd prefer to tell you, sometime in the near future, how it all played out fine in the end, smug, like those reno snobs. For right now, I urge you simply to move house the next time you want to improve your living space :-)

At any rate, S, my fitting friend, is in the midst of a very busy time in her life. I've got futons and stuff in my sewga room. Between the two of us, we haven't seen much of each other in a couple of weeks and may not for a while. I have made up a second muslin of my fitted bodice "sloper" (you know every new fitted bodice for me is likely to be its own thing, given the intriguing shape of my torso) but that's as far as it's gone to date.

I'm not feeling the sewing urge. Much like last summer, I can't find the creative zing - compulsion, should we call it? - to sew. It's too fucking beautiful outside. Too stressful having my house reconstructed around me. Too crazy at work. Too busy at weekends.

I've been finding my creativity in small ways. Knitting the sweater that looks like, well, anything other than a sweater. I'm prepared to discover I've gone all wrong on this one, but I can't really determine that till I finish one side. The fact that this thing is knit in sock wool is making it a very meditative (read: endless) experience.

No cooking to speak of. No baking. But I have been riding my M's bike to and from work and all around the city on the weekends. I've rediscovered this city in a fairly spectacular way. To wit:  Y'all know how down on Toronto I tend to be. It's dirty, it's noisy, it's cold, it's wet. Weekend urbanites co-opt and crowd my "cool, bohemian" neighbourhood; it pisses me off. (Seriously, go get your own cool neighbourhood.) We live to work in this town. Everyone's all about the work.

But I was recently blown away by a day trip I took in my own town. Scott and I cycled, mostly scenically, down to Harbourfront (in truth, a place I loathe). Got on a water taxi (10 bucks a person, peeps, including your bike) and spent the afternoon cycling the Toronto Islands and swimming at Hanlan's Point beach. In 30 minutes I was out of the city and on a vacation (Muskoka-style), swimming in water that was crystal clear and sand-bottomed for half a mile out. When we'd had enough, we went back to the city and cycled home.

That's the first time I've ever set foot in this part of Lake Ontario. When I was growing up, the lake was a polluted mess. In fact, the whole way to the island, I maintained that I would most certainly not be swimming. It's probably the clearest lake I've ever been in.

Some key details:

• Toronto Island (as we call it) is fucking gorgeous in a way that makes me proud and awed to live here. There are zillions of things to do (not that that's motivated me before, except sporadically). If you only go to the beach, this place is worth it.
• You do not need to wait like the riff raff for the ferry. Seriously. I will never take that stupid ferry again. Water taxis are to island hopping like taxis are to urban transit. Why take public transit if you don't want to? It's not like you save a boat load of money. (Hahahaha - get it?)
• Bring food and towels and sunscreen. A bike with a couple of baskets will provide all the storage you need. There are places to eat on the Island but they're either crappy, overpriced or hard to get into.
• You will never see a better view of downtown Toronto than from the Island.

I've been to so many terrific cities with amazing secrets to discover. But I've never seen anything quite like this.

I'm calling this my summer of outdoor adventurism: biking down mountains and all across town, canoeing, swimming in the city, going to visit friends up north. What I've sacrificed in crafting productivity, I seem to be making up for in lively activity.

It's a tradeoff I'm willing to make right now.