I have just arrived home after a month on the road, a fantastic month of shows that took me through Northern BC, down to California for the Sea Otter Classic, across to Toronto for demos at The Green Living Show, then finally to Ottawa for a shop show. After mixing in some very early morning photo shoots, breakfast TV shows, and late nights, and not enough yoga, my body decided it had had enough, so now I am at home in bed, sick with either bronchitis or pneumonia, and strep throut. Have you ever gone through an exceptionally busy time and right at the end, when all commitments were done, got really sick? Our bodies way of giving us a forced rest.

For me though, it’s tough, this rest is short lived, I have to pick up my trailer and get ready to perform on Saturday. Hopefully the antibiotics kick in in time, because it’s hard to cancel a show that is being advertised on the radio, and in the newspaper, some people make an extra effort to see me, and I have known people that travel a fair distance to do so. Even if it is just one person, or one kid that is bummed, that is enough for me to grit my teeth and make it happen. One worry is being contagious, but as I understand, after two days of antibiotics, people around me should be in the clear; or is that an old wives tale? Robin Coope, hopefully you can come announce for me buddy, like the good ‘ol days where you couldn’t get a word out of my mouth!

So the last demo in Ottawa  (well technically Gatineau), my symptoms were starting to show. The weather was cold, but clear, and I had been up at 5am in Toronto, to get a photo shoot in. Of course traveling to the shop, and eating nothing but ‘Timmies’ and ‘Coffee Time’ didn’t help with my health. I then started setting up my old demo structures which live out in Toronto. I was at this shop last year with my ‘nice’ western demo set-up, so as far as the look and flash, it’s a step down. Managed to muster off the show, sign a whack of posters, and all was good, and my petty worries about performing on my old stuff was a non-issue. Friendly folk there, even took me out to Dinner, thanks JF!

Once I muster enough energy, I have a little video tour edit of the Green Living show to post, I was so excited to have been a part of that event, and wanted to share some of it with you.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out over the last month, couldn’t do these tours without all the great people along the way. 

Nice!! 

Ryan