Unfortunately there is a mechanical failure with your aircraft...

Yup, that's what I just heard the lady on the speaker say. Thankfully she said it while I'm sitting in the Airport Terminal in Ottawa, and not in the air.

I'm breathing sighs of relief, however, now that I'm sitting here safe and sound and everything that needed to be taken care of has been (I hope). The extra CDs have been shipped off, the gear returned, the van gassed and parked, and now I'm just waiting to catch my flight to Toronto, the means by which I'd be getting there probably the thing I was most stressed about until I booked the flight this afternoon. Turns out rental car companies will charge you an arm and a leg if you return the car to a city other than the one you rented it in. News to me. This meant a lot of online scrambling to try to find a viable mode of transportation to get me to Matt's place. The problem with the bus or train was that I'd have to find a way from the airport, where I was dropping off the girls for their flight, to the respective terminal/station. Then it dawned on me as I was eating a bowl of Cheerios: perhaps I could fly. Dad always says how flying is about as cheap now as taking the bus, and he was right. I ended up finding a flight for a little less than $60, before tax. Not too bad, if I do say so myself. Cheaper than renting a car, even if there wasn't that crazy "one way" charge on top of it all.

Yeah, so hopefully the plane they're switching ours for doesn't have a mechanical failure too. I'm seeing the passengers walk by that just got off of it, so that's a good sign. Nobody seems too maimed.

Oh, and one more thing: I'm glad to be alone. As much as I've had a good time on the tour, you can only be around the same people for so long before the smallest annoyances become intolerable. I'm pretty sure I've been a bit intolerable myself. It really hasn't been that bad, actually, but I'm definitely ready for a break, as are the girls, I think. Give me a little bit and I'll be ready to get back on the horse, though.

And I think that's that. I'm looking forward to the time ahead of me and everything it entails: Toronto, Van, Drumheller, Van, home. After that, well, I'd better damn well be making enough on music to pay rent, beit my own or Bella or whatever comes my way. No day job for me, I'll tell you h-what.