FIRST studied in Grade 11 with Mrs. Meuris, I had to memorize it eons ago. It struck a chord with me and ever since, it has been with me.

Another yet-to-occur bicycle tour uses line 1 of the sonnet as its title. It will be a tour to the homeland of our ancestors. Always a haunting pursuit for me. The current tour was to come after the Scotland tour, but alas. Dot. Dot. Dot. Things have been juggled again. Mind you, it is on my List to Do that does exist, so it will happen, as I most recently alluded to.

This second line of Sonnet 30 has a number of connections to this tour. It has been ten years since I last set foot in Spain or Portugal. Much has changed since then. It has been twelve years since I crossed Spain on my bicycle tour - the BIG one that has greatly influenced me every day since. I have changed careers twice in the meantime. Yes, my choice. My wee lad, Alexander, has become less wee but no less wondrous to me. The day draws ever closer for our promised bicycle tour of Morocco.