Canadian jaunt

If you ever find yourself in the regions of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario,

you might consider a few places of interest along the way.

You might consider the Airbnb at 74 Dane Street

the darling house that is small outside, big inside

with the old wood and the clean kitchen and the big windows.

You might consider dinner with loved ones

and their charming children.

You may find yourself meeting up with dearest friends from many years ago

with lit-up smiles and ever-warm hugs

or with new friends who have walked with you for years,

the shyness of meeting up for real

after all this time.

If you find yourself with time, you might consider a few places of deliciousness:

• the Lancaster Smokehouse, big and loud and live-jazzy and flavorful

• the tiny Breakfast Blues and BBQ’s with food to make you swoon

• the incomparable Rheo Thompson chocolate shoppe

(if you happen to hit the latter on their annual open house, with the chocolate fountain, and the staff carrying around their silver trays of hot chocolate and tea and tasty samples, consider yourself triply blessed)

• the Tim Hortons that IS Tim Hortons, with Nutella dips and straight caramel centers and tiny filled pancakes.

You might meander through Stratford

quaint Shakespearean town of color and texture

the lake and the walking paths and the bridges

the little shops

the artsy walls and the fallen leaves.

My heart is full of love

and his whiskers grew

enough.