a change is as good as a rest

And a rest is as good as a rest, too.

S. and I had a great time in Toronto. I really didn't do a lot of parenting, as S. and Grandma were pretty much inseparable. They saw a lot of movies, ate food that we can't keep in the house (nuts, peanuts and sesame, due to D.'s allergies) and just generally enjoyed each other's company.

S. also discovered bitstrips. How could a kid who loves comics and the internet resist?

And, as his proud Mama, I have to crow that he created comic strip embedded above, all by himself (yes, I swear he really is nine). "Susan" is a nom de plume (or rather the name of the adult whose account he was using).

And as for me, I slept a fair bit, did a bit (a very little bit after the first couple of days) of writing and spent time with really good friends.

I also did lots of walking. On Saturday, I walked the length of Queen Street from Coxwell to Crawford (and then up, almost to Bloor), about 10km (more than 6 miles). It was a really fun way to see a real cross-section of Toronto life.

I played tourist, too.

If you're ever in Toronto, you really should check out the following:

• go here, if you are a knitter
• eat here, if you like good, cheap food and a really relaxed atmosphere
• hang out here, if you like to take in a bit of history, enjoy artists studios or just like to drink locally brewed beer
• get take out from here if you like Caribbean food (you can't get good roti in Ottawa).

And there's more. I saved the best part for last. We drove (T. and D. had come to join us) home in record time. And no one puked.