Currently on a West Jet flight from Calgary to Toronto in a dash to make it all the way home from Victoria in one day. We had an easy schedule planned on Air Canada that should have taken us from Victoria to Montreal and on to St. John's. Grand plan but, all the Air Canada planes were grounded due to a computer glitch. So, we jumped on a West Jet plane to Calgary and Toronto and hope to catch the late flight home tonight. Could be worse, I suppose.

I've pretty much developed a ‘Travel Zen'. I have somehow convinced myself to not be excited or upset about any aspect of airline travel. I've learned to expect the unexpected. I fully accept that so much of this is out of my hands, that to worry about arrival times, connecting flights, etc. is completely futile. Many would agree with my ‘zen' but few manage to adopt it. It is tough to remain optimistic and content in seat 58Q on a flight that is none hours late, but if you fly as often as I do, adopting an unbreakable pleasant demeanor is a self defense mechanism.

Had four fun gigs over the past days. The Malkin Bowl is beautiful. I spent less than twelve hours in Seattle and was on stage for two of those. At the Bumbershoot Festival we probably played to our biggest audience ever in Western USA. Victoria was blast as usual. Me, Sean, and Murray spent the wee hours in a Caribbean restaurant called Reef that served spicy Jamaican Tapas and frosty Red Stripes. Very civilized.

Sad news from Australia yesterday as the tragic death of the "Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin made its way around the world. I met him a few times while touring in Australia. He was as large a personality as I've ever come across. The impression that many in the public have of him, as a daring, crazy risk taker does not truly reflect the man he was. He was honestly driven to these close encounters with the wild animals out of a desire to educate himself and others about some of the most misunderstood creatures on earth.

I am drawn to those with a lust for life and I've not met a soul who made the most of a day like Steve Irwin. I've never met anyone who felt as blessed to have the opportunity to do exactly what he loved for a living. He loved his job and his passing is a terrible loss to the conservation community all around the world. He was a great friend to his friends, a great husband to his wife and a great Dad to his kids.

He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered. Cheers to Steve.

Back home for a few days before we dart to Saint John to sing a song at the CCMA show, then a few days in Western Ontario in the middle of September.

Another Summer's come and gone, but Fall can be so lovely.

Cheers

Alan