Went to Osgoode: it was closed

Leaving the claustrophobic confines of Ottawa for an impromptu drive to the country, we headed down Bank Street towards Winchester.

"Let's go to Greely," said Mrs. Ottawacker. For those who don't know Greely, you are lucky. It's what Kanata used to be like, without the charm. As the line goes, I spent a month there one afternoon.

Having been denied her trip to Greely - and I have still no idea why she wanted to go there - Mrs. Ottawacker was adamant about her next choice: so, we went to Winchester.

On the way, we decided to stop at one of Ottawa's recommended attractions (I kid you not - the Osgoode Agricultural Museum. This was my chance to meet Mr. Peanut - whose presence in itself is enough to warrant the trip (see extra). The museum was closed. In fact, I am beginning to wonder whether it was ever open in the first place. Maybe the Giant Talking Peanut is an urban myth - like Lord Lucan and Shergar - and the building is merely a giant shell with nothing inside it. I listened at the doors for any sounds of scrabbling or talking - but there was nothing. No Giant talking Peanuts were being held against their will. We left, sadder but wiser, and headed back to Ottawa, where Mrs. Ottawacker - in one of her more demanding moods - had instructed me to drive her to her favourite vegetarian restaurant, where she got take out.

Clearly these afternoon excursions require more planning.