May 10th Leaving Thunderbay was like leaving home base, off on a new adventure. Lake Superior was trying to break free from winter’s hold. I could see small changes in the melting of the frozen landscape. My plane was late leaving Thunderbay and I was happy to find out the Wasaya Airline was holding the plane in Sioux Lookout. I was surprised to see the next plane was smaller than the last, with the exception you could almost stand inside walking down the aisle.

Taking off at 7:30 from Kenora, I was sad to leave! The town is just beautiful and the people kind and generous with their hospitality. It was a beautiful sunny morning with a nip in the air. Passing several deer along the way nibbling the fresh new grass, the promise of spring was becoming a reality. The flight was fast… I slept through it. Arriving in Thunderbay, once again, felt comfortable. A wonderful librarian picked me up from the hotel and we hurried to a majestic old library 100 + years old. A bright cheery and excited class met me there and we had a splendid time. They made me feel like a very special person lining up for an autograph! And then….. CBC Radio Live! WOW! What a thrill! I don’t know what I said but Cathy Alex, the radio announcer, was brilliant! What a conundrum!! How can 10 minutes last so long and fly by so fast! Tomorrow I have two flights and arrive at Pickle Lake! I can’t wait!

Tuesday, May 8th, 2013

Ecole Ste-Margierite Bourgeoys School The Gymnasium was decorated with everything to do with fishing! It looked just magnificent! The teacher’s really out-did themselves. With yummy food and comfy spots to relax, I had an amazing audience. Reading The First Mosquito to the Book Club was exciting to say the least. Afterwards, the K-2 grades, (160) came back to have a full presentation and reading of The Salmon Twins! Shortly thereafter the grade 3-6, (140) came and I shared with them. After Ecole School, using my trusty GPS, I raced to Evergreen Public School to present two performances one to JK-SK and one to grade 1&2. A full day loaded with questions from some very inquisitive students! Tomorrow morning I take 2 flights to Thunderbay!

Pope John Paul II School, Kenora, ON

My classes today were just terrific!! 2 Readings, a Mask Making Workshop and a Drama Production! It was just a bundle of 250 children all laughing and having a spectacular time! The day just flew by!

Flying to Kenora ON

My Bearskin Airways flights were perfect! And thrilling!! Coming into Ft. Frances, I thought we were going to land on a soggy mudflat. But the instant we touched ground the pavement appeared! Taking off I used up my allotment of adrenalin for the next 10 years! Staying in one spot, the pilot…who I could see plainly…revved up the engine then poured on the throttle holding the plane at a stand-still, the released the breaks, (or whatever) and the plane shot into the sky in a slit second!!! Looking back the runway was the size of a postage stamp! In the air all the lakes were frozen. The visibility was terrific and as far as the eye could see the land was ice bound. Coming into Kenora, the landing was the same…. Short! With all the braking power put to the test with just the wee bit of runway left. Flawless I might add. No lumps or bumps. After viewing the frozen landscape for hundreds of miles all around, I was surprised to see the lake in Kenora free from ice! Looking up I could see hundreds of water fowl flying from all directions and landing onto the only open water for who knows how far in all directions! I had four classes today with the happiest children! All glad to see spring on the way and so welcoming! Posters were up all over the halls in both schools. Just perfect students with the most perfect questions! Tomorrow I visit another school and share a reading and two workshops! A mask making and a Drama workshop!!!

Thunderbay free day!

Thunderbay... This is on Lake Superior! What a giant body of water!! We flew over it for a hundred miles! Upon arrival yesterday afternoon, I saw the bay still frozen along the shores. There were snow plowed roads and a drifting of new snow. Today, the snow is melting as fast as the green shoots of spring try to force the issue. This is spring ya'know... The teenagers are in flip-flops tip-toeing through the bits of white stuff and running water. While packing and re-packing trying to find some way to miraculously drop 20 pounds off the total weight limit for Bearskin Airlines, I discovered the fact my pro hand held stapler and the full pack of staples were NOT a match! I had grabbed the wrong box. A mission was immediately designed with a trip to the airport checking in my luggage…I only had to pay $28.00+tax for overweight, caught a bus to downtown, (with transfers) AND found a Staples!! (the store)…With a name like that they just had to have the most unusual sized staples for my hand stapler in existence….Right? After harassing the store manager for 35 minutes opening this one and that one… I was ready to buy another dang stapler… he whispered, “check next door at Lowlerys.” With great expectations, I scrambled across a four lane highway and running into the store with scarf flying, I begging for a miracle. It was granted! *****I will arrive at the Mask-making Workshop with a fully loaded stapler! You’re thinkin’ what’s the big deal? Think about it…91 masks made in 58 minutes for 91 excited 3-4th grade students! I catch my flight to Kenora at 5:00PM… bags are checked, I’ll hide my stapler+3 pounds of staples in my jacket. My carry on can only be 10 pounds…my computer and projectors weighs more than that! Cheers!

Caroll Simpson Book Tour 12 days ->8,000 Miles Round Trip http://events.bookcentre.ca/book-week I am humbled to be chosen, along with some of Canada’s best authors, illustrators and storytellers, to visit schools, libraries, and community centres across Canada. I will be getting onto 20 planes to 17 towns and 21 venues in northern Ontario! Sharing my new book, The Salmon Twins, will be my main subject matter. Evolving around that, I have writer/Illustrator workshops for high school students & writer’s clubs, a couple of Drama workshops AND my favourite… a mask making workshop for 91 elementary students. Bounding on my first flight, May 4th, I’ll be leaving Victoria on the ‘Red-eye’ … 6:45AM. You know that means, check in time is 4:30AM wholllly molllley! (Alright get over it… my impeccable editor Grenfell Featherstone has refused to edit my blog ;-) One of the tiny planes only allows a total of 53# of luggage! (I swear, I’m flying with 5 plane companies…some of the best in the AIR…. Bearskin Airlines and Wasaya Airways! Don’t tell my Dad he will have a fit! Leaving Victoria, BC and arrive at 7:42PM. Doesn’t that sound like 12 hours?? I can go to Germany in 9hrs. LOL… I wonder if the diligent Heritage house publicist Neil Weiden, knew what I was in for when he submitted my book. I sure didn’t. I have no idea how many hours I’ll be in the plane because they put the dang thing on a 24hr. clock and threw in a couple of time changes!! All I know is I’ll be stopping over in Toronto to change planes and have 2 more hours to Thunder Bay, where I will spend my first night. I know it sounds crazy but, you all know me therefore you will not be surprised when I say, I’m a little excited, to say the least! Stay tuned……… ;-) Saturday, May 4 Fly from Victoria, BC to Thunder Bay, ON.