Une soirée très réussite

We had a nice turnout for the barbeque yesterday. It's the first time we've thrown any kind of party in almost five years, since our wedding in 2004. The skies cooperated and though it got rather cool in the evening (we dragged out blankets for people to drape themselves with) there were no spoiling downpours. I prepped WAY too much food. I think I have forty hamburgers and 30 hotdogs and 6 chicken breasts left. It was pretty much a perfect night - good food, lots of drinks and oodles of laughter. This morning I'm rather hung but that was to be expected.

We had a couple of really funny moments. Here you see the collapsed chair next to Bryan who immediately shrieked, "I'm gonna sue!" Naturally him and his hubby had driven up from the states. They're old friends who recently moved to Boston from California so it was fun to reconnect with them and have an excuse to go visit Boston.

When it started getting cold I decided that I needed a sweatshirt so I headed for the walk-in closet. Unfortunately I didn't think about the fact that you have to go through our only bathroom to get to the closet. Without even thinking I barged in on poor Emilie who thankfully had just stood up from her pee. The look she gave me! All I had in my mind was the image of the sweatshirt hanging in the closet so I was kind of shocked too. Embarassing.

Speaking of girls peeing. When the party was winding down, someone made the observation that "they couldn't believe how many girls leave the seat up." I knew this one because I'm sure we've discussed it here on the blog before. "That's because they only sit down at home!" I clarified for him. Then I had to imagine all the female party guests in that awkward squat. I giggled at each image that conjured. I was thinking it was the booze, but I'm giggling still this morning. Happy Sunday peeps.

Couple of observations

So I always notice things when I go back to the states. Things that either I forgot were part of the culture or that stand out as something new. I've noticed this before but what really stood out this time was the difference in customer service. Well not really the service per se, but how it is rendered. The faked ebullience when greeted is so jarring. Maybe because here in Quebec there's a lot of surliness, I don't know. But when we finished placing our order at Islands (and we were a terrible four-top, grandma had a soup and my dad split a burger with his wife) the server exclaimed, "Awesome!" People were just so gall darn glad to see us enter their place of business too. Fakity fake fake fake. I suppose this is what is expected now though. I found it a bit irritating.

It reminded me of a job long ago, the only one in which I got fired, where we had to answer the phone with something like, "Thank you for calling RJ's home of the all you can eat Sunday brunch and Monday night football clam bake, how may I help you!" You had to shout it or the person on the phone would cut you off.

The other thing I noticed and forgot all about - personal injury lawyer advertising. It's simply everywhere. Talk about creating a society of victims. I kept seeing the ads with lawyers touting how much they wrang out of the insurance companies because it's the big bad insurance companies taking advantage of you, and I just kept thinking now who was taking advantage of whom. TV ads certainly aren't free.

The climate was spectacular though and I wouldn't mind wintering in the Southwest someday. A little cottage out in Palm Springs would suit me just fine. They are calling for a harsh and snowy winter this year which makes me laugh because, well, aren't they ALL harsh and snowy?

Alright enough blathering. I've got 2500 blog posts in my queue to catch up on (don't expect 2500 comments) and we've got to clean up for the little bbq party we're throwing tomorrow. Monday I start a new full time contract so my summer vacation is officially over. Wah- Wahhhh.

Home from California

They got over seven inches of rain here while I was gone. This, according to my electronic rain gauge anyway. Serge said they had thunderstorms practically every day during my absence. We are having people over Saturday for a BBQ - our first party of any kind in 5 years - and the forecast is for rain. In Southern California, they are going through their typical 6 month dry period.

One day while I was out there, I explored the Laguna Canyon Wilderness Park. It was inaugurated in 2006, and though I've seen those hills my whole life, I had never tramped around on them. It was pretty stupid of me, but I set out with no water, then got kind of turned around and ended up doing 6 and a half miles in the hot sun. Saw some pretty flowers though.

While I was walking around up there, I was talking to an old high school friend who was recently deceased. So shocking (suicide) to hear about someone my age dying, even if it did come from that lame website Classmates. I didn't go to the memorial service as it conflicted with family obligations.

The whole accident thing weighed heavily on me during the trip. The old couple I bumped into were supposed to get an estimate and call me. They didn't do that. They didn't call their insurance company. They didn't call my insurance company. No, even though I told them to let me take care of it, they called the rental car company. Thanks guys! So now the rental car people are calling me to investigate. The old couple finally got back to me yesterday with an estimate for the scratch on the bumper ($638!) and want a rental car for three days as well. I found a mobile shop that will do it for half the price and no rental car needed, but they are balking. If I had this "damage" on my car, I wouldn't even bother. I'm hoping to get this resolved anyway today.

I thought it was funny how they defined cruising in Long Beach. We all stopped and said what if you're looking for a parking spot and go around the block a few times?

The weather was just beautiful the whole time I was there. I kept bringing it up, but when you live there you kind of stop noticing it because almost every day is like that.

I didn't take too many pictures this time. Oh sure there are some of me and the family and a few of me and friends, but I've posted some like that every summer for the last four years. Seems a bit redundant to me. One day, my mom was talking about the "burning needle" sensation of the arthritis and a "ding ding ding" sound went off in my head. That's exactly what I was complaining about a few weeks ago. I had said burning and tingling but burning needles sounds exactly right. She consoled me though adding, "At least it's the good kind!" I had to laugh at that, hey you've got a debilitating illness but don't worry it's the good kind.

When I got back and Serge picked me up at the airport, we went to the Keg and enjoyed a scrumptious feast for carnivores like us. Serge had some news, apparently he had his hours cut in half at work. We're trying to look at this positively, he'll be able to focus more on his side business doing web sites, but it also means there'll be no more carnivorous feasts for awhile.

Nother mini update from California

OMG this was good. Mom is an avid fisherwoman (see blog here) and had just come back with a major haul of yellowtail, yellowfin and albacore. We've been in seafood heaven here and look what she threw together last night for dinner. This does nothing for you if you're averse to eating sea creatures, but I was in heaven.

I went up to Long Beach yesterday and met friends and had a wonderful lunch at Gladstone's. (Thanks Donna!) We found some pinball machines and played Terminator too. A real trip down memory lane.

Here's mom and the kids. They kept talking about the kids and I thought they were referring to someone in the neighborhood or something, but no, they were referring to these two. It's so funny to see the dog and cat rolling around playing with each other. I don't think they realize they are not the same species. Of course every time I try to get a video of them playing they stop and walk away as if nothing was happening.

I did get a video of me and my dad playing a tune together. Something I wrote when I was 16 but never recorded for posterity sake. It's riddled with errors, but that's what being an amateur is all about.

Embed isn't working for some reason, so you can watch it here.

Midtrip update

Wow, I've already been gone a week. It sure passes quickly. Vegas was a whirlwind of gambling and eating and we didn't lose too too much, which is just a hair less fun than winning. But only a hair. I have seen so many movies too. The trip started with me being upgraded to first class. I have no idea why and I didn't ask, I just thanked the universe. On the plane I watched Race to Witch Mountain because the version they made when I was a kid had made such an impression on me. I liked it. Then I watched Gran Torino which Birdie had recommended and WOW what a great flick. I could not stop laughing at Clint Eastwood's cantankerousness and the ending was one of the most satisfying I can recall. Then when I arrived in Vegas, Laverne's flight was delayed so I went to the movies and saw My Sister's Keeper solely because it was the next one showing at the time I arrived. Ugh. I don't go to the movies to have my heart ripped out, but that's what this one did. Can't say it was a bad movie, just a difficult one.

On the way to California from Vegas, I had a little automotive mishap, and when I say mishap, I mean I may have rear ended someone. Stupid old people don't know how to drive, but since I was behind them, some blame surely fell on me. What kind of car did I ding? A freaking Jaguar. I'd show you the minorness of the damage but I don't know how to erase the license number with my mom's computer (where I'm posting this from) but it's just a little bumper scratch. The rental car is fine too thank the baby Jebus. Still it kind of screwed up my mental state for a couple days.

On the 4th, I went on a big hike to a waterfall in the San Gabriel mountains and then visited the pappy on the 5th. We went to see The Hangover together which caused us to giggle helplessly throughout. If you like movies targeted to youthful males, this is not to be missed.

Now I'm camped out at mama's house until next weekend when I'll head back to Vegas for my flight home. Don't miss me too much now. Mwah!

Toodles

Okay kids, once again I'm outta here. Time for the annual summer trip out west. This means very infrequent blogging for the next two weeks. I'm looking forward to disconnecting though, I just can't help feeling like the computer takes up too much space in my life. Tomorrow I'm heading to Vegas with Laverne for our annual junket. This year she got comped rooms at the Monte Carlo so it will be fun to be on the strip. Normally, we stay in downtown Vegas which is more subdued and generally costs less. We'll have pool access so if we blow our money we can cool our jets there. After Vegas, I head to Socal to visit for a week. I know it seems like I travel a lot and you're probably right. It's simple really. Buy your clothing used, cut coupons, spend money only on things that are essential and you'll have money for travel. It helps to have a job that only needs you 9 months of the year too.

I was kinda pissy yesterday reading several bloggers who were lamenting the Michael Jackson coverage, how they didn't get what the big deal was, how he never really did anything for them. Such bad form people. Do you go to a funeral and ask what the big deal is, you didn't really care all that much for the deceased? Show a little respect for Chrissakes. I know we bloggers tend to have huge egos but can we let the others grieve properly and keep our collective mouth shut for once. Sheesh. Anyway, I (kinda) feel bad about a few of my comments I left in the blogosphere, perhaps I was a bit harsh. Hollywood is having a pretty bad week it seems. I would say something snarky about Billy Mays, but that would discredit the entire paragraph : )

Okily Dokily that's about it. Hope you all have a wonderful start to July, happy Canada day to my adopted peeps and happy 4th to my original peeps. See you on the flip side.

God is gay

Saw the new Woody Allen flick Friday. It was housekeeper day so I stayed out of the house and debated between Food Inc, Up and Woody's new film "Whatever Works". Though his films seem to have a common theme - life is meaningless so try to enjoy it - I tend to agree with the theme and enjoy watching the excellent actors he peoples his films with. My fave bit of dialogue this time came between an uptight closeted Ed Begley Jr. and a guy he is lamenting lost love with in a bar:

"You're breaking God's law of one man and one woman!"

"God is gay."

"How can you say that!? He made all the mountains and the oceans and the sky and animals and flowers and everything that's beautiful in the world."

"Exactly. He's a decorator."

It got a pretty good laugh out of the audience. If you tend to like his films, you'll like this one and if you don't, you won't because it's got his signature all over it despite his absence on camera.

Yesterday was a rainy day which I love and we stayed in and blobbed around all day. I found someone on Facebook that I had lost touch with five years ago. Yay! I love that part of the whole FB craze. To those who resist jumping on the bandwagon, too bad for you. As I was telling Serge the other day, now I don't have to keep on top of everyone's changing emails or addresses. I've got all my contacts in one place should I need them. You don't have to spend your whole life on there if you don't want to, though I admit it can become somewhat of a timesuck. Anyway the guy I regot in touch with is now married with a two year old. We're going to visit when I'm out in California next week. I leave Tuesday for Vegas baby Vegas and then I'll be in Socal for the following week, my annual visit to see Mom and the gang. It means missing the entirety of the Jazz festival this year, but there's always next year. Have a lovely Sunday peeps.

This n that

We finally had a thunderstorm yesterday. It was competing with the news of Michael Jackson's death so I was alternately outside watching and inside checking the television. It was strange how the joy and sadness competed for my being. I felt guilty for enjoying myself even though that's useless, I mean I didn't even know the guy. And poor Farah, having her death day overshadowed by his. It always saddens me when people are gone before their time. Ed McMahon's death we can understand, but Michael's? Just sad.

Today's my last official work day of the session. I say work, but really I'm getting paid to go out to lunch with my students. I'm hankering for a good smoked meat sandwich. After that I may pop out to the movies. It's housekeeper day and I hate being around when she is. Still, if there are more thunderstorms around, I'd rather watch the great big movie in the sky than be trapped in a darkened room. The decision will come down to a choice between sky, Up and Food inc.

We're on season three of Nip/Tuck now. We find a lot of similarities to this series and Six Feet Under, only this is two guys running a plastic surgery business in lieu of an undertaking business. Last night, there was a pretty good scene which demonstrates why I love the show. (Though not as much as I loved Six Feet Under. I don't know if it's possible to outdo that series.) Here watch if you have a couple minutes. The video is safe for work, the audio not so much.

Twas a holiday here

The parade passes in front of our place. God they are dull. Corny costumes, cheap allegorical floats and a dozen marching bands. Everyone waving the flag. It's no secret that I'm against any kind of flag waving, it just seems silly to me. Anyway, we all bought t-shirts and they were only five dollars. However, there is a glaring error on the shirt which we only noticed after the vendors had moved on. Can you spot it?

Some people take the holiday a little too seriously.

Before the parade, I took a stroll through the Botanical Gardens as I just can't get enough of that place at this time of year. I took my book along and finally finished it. Sad to say, it's the first book I've read this year. Very unlike me but I blame Facebook. Anyway it was David Sedaris' latest "When You Are Engulfed In Flames" which Mom told me was about quitting smoking. Actually, 240 pages go by before there's anything about smoking. It's really just like his other books, little slices of his life. I laughed out loud exactly three times. I don't know if he's getting less funny or I'm getting less easily amused.

I'm always noticing the repeating patterns in nature. These struck me as very sea anemone like. Aren't there some flowers called anemones? Anyone know what these are?

This is bugsy. He was brought over by friends who came to watch the parade and barbeque with us. He was very well-behaved albeit a bit slobbery.

Hey did I mention the weird coincidence that happened last week? I had a job doing voice work for the English textbooks in the Quebec schools (an annual gig for the last few years) and the coordinator was a blog reader and friend on facebook. Neither of us realized it since we had never actually met and we were in a fairly professional setting. It was cute as Lee Ann messaged me on Facebook, "Did we meet this morning and not know it?" Small world, eh?

Out and About

I took advantage of the gorgeousness that was yesterday's weather. Low 80's, dry, crystal clear with a breeze. Because my feet were doing alright, I went on one of my long walks. I haven't blathered about my feet and hand problem much but it's been maddening. I've had several day-long episodes where it feels like they are burning/tingling. If you research burning and tingling feet and hands on the internet, you'll find many others who experience it but no probable causes. It could be something as little as a pinched nerve or as major as multiple sclerosis. I've decided to start taking vitamins again hoping that does the trick. There are people out there who've had years of tests with no diagnoses and just have to manage the pain. I shudder to think.

Haven't tried out the Bixi bike rentals yet. It sure seems like they are more often parked than used. It reminds me of the salad spinner we bought a couple years ago. Parked and never used.

Strolling through Park Lafontaine, I wanted to catch a picture of a crow, pigeon and this guy all plucking through the same little square meter of grass. It was such an odd looking trio. As soon as I knelt down though, the squirrel ran right up to me and begged. So I took this pic of him and fished out a peanut from my bag which I carry for just this purpose.

The blend of old and new architecture is one of the things I love about this city. Since I'm a born and raised Californian, this always impresses me.

Okay this I don't get. I didn't stop to inquire either but check the website. It seems bizarre to have this in Montreal where we already have that nazi health care thing going on. (Smirk.)

On days like this simply everyone goes outside.
After I procured a pair of jeans at the Gap (on sale for less than half price) I went down to the village where they've closed down Ste-Catherine street to cars again for the summer. One thing that really struck me yesterday was the number of help wanted signs there were. It seemed that simply everyone was hiring. I've already got a full time summer gig starting July 20th (I've never had a summer gig) and I got two calls yesterday asking if I could work full time this summer. Bizarre! It's also interesting to note that real estate prices have never gone down here, they are still up, up, up. This is probably a North American anomaly.

This was new too. Six huge chess games set up around Metro Berri-Uqam. I haven't played since I was a kid, but it looked like fun.

One of the tools to fight grafitti is to paint elaborate murals on one's brick. This one was especially bitchin'.

Today is the big Quebec holiday and the parade passes right in front of our house. We'll watch from the balcony and take a few pics for tomorrow.

Cruise nuggets

* I noticed something new on the cruise this year. They had added a tissue dispenser to all the walls adjacent to the doors exiting the public restrooms. At first I thought it was for drying the hands of those who don't like the hot air blowing machines, but they were so thin and kleenex-like that you had to pull a dozen tissues to dry your hands adequately. Then I used a bathroom that had two exit doors because of a little vestibule and noticed that there was a dispenser next to both doors. Then it dawned on me - they were for protecting your hands from germs on the door handles. It's a swine flu world after all. (Sing it with me now.)

* In the Bahamas, we were offered the possibility of procuring drugs by the locals. It was very surreptitious the way you'd hear a little "pot, coke" whispered as you walked down the street. In my younger days, I'd have been all over that but now I don't even turn my head. Anyway, one is more likely to be sold oregano and baking soda in such situations.

* In the dining room in the evening there is a little song and dance that all the service staff must perform. It's pretty cheesy Macarena kind of stuff. There was something new this year though. They all performed the final dance scene from Slumdog Millionaire. Despite my disdain for such gooberdom, it was pretty neat. (Weird, blogger is indicating that gooberdom is indeed a correctly spelled word. I thought I had just made it up.)

* When we were in Atlantis, we spent a couple of hours at the water park playing in the river, wave pool and water slides. I wonder how the hotel guests feel about the cruise ship patrons invading their paradise. It really is a resort for the elite. The last ride we went on was a huge drop down into a shark infested pool. (You are in a clear tube so the sharks can't eat you.) It was really hot and we had waited about 20 minutes already in line when two teenage males appeared and joined the two girls waiting in front of us. The boys were wet and dripping from having just been in the pool. Serge and I were dripping from the tropical heat and standing in the sun. I said, "Why are you cutting in line?" One of the girls said, "I'm saving their place." I then looked at the kid and said, "Dude, that is not cool. Not cool at all." He then offered to let us go ahead of them and I took him up on that. In my younger days, I'd have said nothing. Now I will tell the teens what's what.

* As I mentioned the other day, I requested a Friends of Dorothy meet-n-greet from the cruise director. The first was scheduled in the piano bar. Serge was coming late because he had an appointment to get his teeth whitened so I had to go alone at the scheduled time. Ugh. When I arrived at the piano bar, I noticed two Carnival employees sitting at one of the tables and I identified them as dancers from the shows. So I walked up and sat down with them and said, "Hi guys how are you doing?" I tend to be bolder on vacation since I figure I'll never see these people again, but the boys seemed a little apprehensive about my having joined them. I said, "Are you guys here for the friends of dorothy meeting?" They answered rather coolly, "Uh, no, we didn't even know about that." Crappity crap crap crap. I'm sure I reddened then, but I was already sitting there so I asked if they were dancers, how long they had been aboard, where they were from, you know - small talk. After a couple minutes, they excused themselves saying they had to go. They were definitely friends of dorothy, but pretty aloof and snobby. I don't know why we boys are like that sometimes. Shortly after that a pair of guys came in and sat at another table. I got up, went over and sat down and introduced myself and asked if they were here for the friends of dorothy meeting and they answered in the affirmative. Then I told them about the snotty dancer thing that had just happened. We're all friends now on Facebook.

* Another thing I had read about on the cruise forums is that around 4pm in the steamroom, funny business is likely to occur. I suppose this is when the closeted married guys can get there ya-yas out. I've never actually checked the veracity of this information but I shared it with the boys. One of the single guys decided to check it out. It's true! On two separate occasions there were afternoon shenanigans in the steamroom.

Dophins, bigots and rum

The dolphin that played with our group's name was Echo. He posed with everyone so the photographer could get shots like this. I'm not sure what the employees thought our relationship was, but we had taken our rings off (for fear of losing them at the water park) so they probably assumed we were just friends. Earlier on the ship we were sitting outside on Lido deck having coffee, or perhaps it was a bloody mary, when an elderly man approached us and asked if we were cousins. I had no qualms informing him that we were in fact married. The old man then said promptly, "God says marriage is between one man and one woman." I raised my eyebrows and said, "Wow, you know what God says!" Then he paused for a moment and said, "You know I never would have known. And anyway if you really were married, (I guess it was easier for him to process believing we were pulling his leg) I'd tell you that in Romans ......" He was quoting the Bible, but I paid no attention. When he was done with the quote he left the table. We saw him a few other times around the ship but he never accosted us again.

We went to a party last night for Emily's 28th birthday. Everyone we told about our relationship at that party was excited and impressed. It's not like we go around with a bullhorn announcing it to people, but it's still a bit of a novelty to some, so the news spreads around the party. The reaction from the younger generation is more along the lines of, "That is SO cool." I hate to say it, but when are the curmudgeons going to leave us? I can't say I'll be all that sorry because when they do, gay marriage will be as ordinary as a bi-racial one. Above you see one of the hors d'oeuvres that was served. It was a clever paté chinois (shepherd's pie) made on a slice of salami. I thought they were pretty neat looking.

Here we are with the birthday girl. It depressed me to realize that technically I'm old enough to be her father. We had way too much to drink though and this morning my head is pounding. They made mojitos and though I detest rum, it is so perfectly disguised by the mint and sugar, I had several. We've had two bottles of rum sitting on the counter for YEARS (both gifts) and we never touch it, but now that I know the secret, look out.