Monday, January 28, 2008: Not To

Colin Newman's "Not To" video. The theme of song of the last few weeks.

Sunday, January 27, 2008: Vet's Graduation

Sandy and I went over to her Sister Dang's again today. Vet had his graduation this morning and but we only went to the house for the after-party portion of the events.

Mike was there and its the first time I've seen him since I've been back. I was mis-informed on the amount of his leg he had amputated. He lost the leg below the knee not above. He is still walking with a walker but he has a temporary fake leg fitted and that will be replaced by a better one once the leg itself has healed further.

We had some food from the restaurant by the khlong. Later Pluk insisted on going back to play some of the strange coin operated games. Sandy took him over and I joined them later. His favorite game seems to be the ball tose which he can't get enough of.

Sandy and Pluk with the ball toss game...

The display from the weird punching game...

Wack a Frog...

Cooking food...

Zaw joined us later on in the evening and we go home rather late.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008: Sleepless

Gurders and such like

I still feel I haven't adjusted back to this time zone. Usually I have less trouble coming back than going however this year that is not the case. Perhaps a proper sleep would help but I haven't managed to have one of those either.

Sunday, January 20, 2008: To Pet's

Sandy and I took a taxi over to her Sister Dang's place this afternoon to see Pluk and Pet and the gang. I dragged along some gear to mess with later on after we'd eaten.

I had hoped to get the Digitech XP300 Space Station pedal up and running but the power supply I brought back refused to work with the 220/110 converter I picked up during the week. I had also brought the Cloud 9 distortion and flanger pedals so I used those with the seldom used Korg ER-1. I added some drum tracks to something with it and later started a new piece with some bell-like tones from the ER-1.

Setting up shop...

Friday, January 18, 2008: Spicy

The Wonder of Spicy Beef Salad...

This is what it looks like, in case you had wondered. Now I know I'm back.

Thursday, January 17, 2008: Wat Lego

There was a Lego display at the Emporium today. This Temple was quite well done.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008: Construction & Bill Boards

Further along...

A new snack product being heavily marketed here...

I had my first breakfast at the Black Swan after the gym today. Truly outstanding sausages.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008: B

The best video ever made. Ever.

Colin Newman's promo "B" for the 1980 A-Z album.

Monday, January 14, 2008: Flying Home

2:35 am Alaska time…

We’re on our way. I was just served a snack. It was a tiny pizza that was surprisingly good. Now we’ve got 10 hours to go.

The toilets aren't any bigger

What time is it???

4:30 am…

Dawn over Japan

The Breakfast was great.

Almost in Hong Kong

Almost there. Almost home.

Arriving in Hong Kong

7:00 am. In Hong Kong. I lost a day due to crossing the International Date Line. I board my flight to Bangkok at 8:40 am. I feel pretty good. I don’t have a sore neck or any other of the usual long flight discomforts.

Turbulence!

Almost home

Home!

What a long flight that is. But it wasn't so bad with the added comfort of being in the front.

The flight from Hong Kong was extremely turbulant. So much so I couldn't write. It calmed down once we got into Thai airspace. Landing was fine, we rolled up to the gate and everyone who was going ashore went in the usual confusion. The flight travels on to Singapore so not everyone disembarked.

I walked to immigration and went through that with no problem then collected my one piece of luggage almost immediantly then walked out. Sandy was one level up looking down. We saw each other right away and I walked around and took the escallator up to where she was. Then we headed out to get a taxi and came back here.

So now I'm home,

Sunday, January 13, 2008: Nite Flights

We are now on our way to Alaska..

I got to the gate and boarded almost immediately. The amount of space available for the Business Class is truly outstanding. The seat actually reclines out to almost a bed and the food is beyond any of the usual fare that’s for sure. The other good news is they’ve done away with that non-sense in Alaska where you have to disembark and go through US Customs.

Ample leg room

Lots of room to stretch out

The view of the Northern Lights was once again unbelievable. I wonder how much different it would be in the summer season. The sky being lit and the cold barren glass-like look of the land below make it appear like some alien world.

They’ve gotten rid of that stupid drill of going off the plane and doing the US Customs check. Now the crew are changing. We should be in Hong Kong at around 5:00 am their time and I’ll be on my way to Bangkok by 9:00 am. Lots of time to get to my gate. Sadly I won’t be in Business class going to Bangkok. I could get used to this.

Refueling in Anchorage

Refueling… An Airport Fire Truck sits outside. Why do Airport Fire Engines have so many wheels? Why are they designed to look so much cooler than regular ones?

Okay. Let’s go.
The switch over continues…

Saturday, January 12, 2008: The Real Last Day

I got up at around 8:30 and came out to find Alexa and Will sitting re-watching the Harry Potter movie. They had no idea I was still there so it came as an excellent surprise. I watched the movie with them until Jayne and Paul got back from where they’d been then we had an outstanding fry-up with bacon, sausages and “toad in the hole” toast with eggs inside.

After breakfast we watched the rest of the movie then I had a brief but needed nap. When I got up Will and Paul and gone to Paul’s family’s to help prepare for his Mom’s birthday dinner. Jayne had to take Alexa to some shop in Oakville called Lululemon where she had a gift certificate to use and there was a big sale. I went with them. Alexa went through the process of finding a jacket she liked. When she narrowed it down to two I decided to get one for her as an early birthday gift. I usually end up spending $ 50 just couriering a gift to her plus I had about $ 100 in Canadian $ 20s that I was more than happy to get rid of. Jayne got the other using the gift card and paying the balance. All in all she lucked out that I was here another day.

Friday, January 11, 2008: The Last Day?

A sure sign the season is over...

This morning I did my “last” run here for this trip. It will be strange to be back at Currahee doing it. Afterwards I showered then Jayne and I went to The Land of Smiles for some Pho.

I arranged my stuff to be packed then at 4:00 pm after the kids got home from school we watched the fifth Harry Potter movie. We had watched the previous four over the last week or so. We had dinner at around 6:00 pm once Paul got home from work and then I packed up my kit and prepared for departure. We discovered however during the online pre-booking that the flight had been changed from 10:50 pm to 12:50 am. So I was able to hang out for a few more hours.

At 10:00 pm I said my goodbyes and Jayne drove me off to the airport where I checked in and so forth. I sat with Jayne for about 30 minutes before saying goodbye and going through security and on to my gate. Once at my gate there was an announcement that the flight was over booked and volunteers were sought amongst the single fliers to rebook for tomorrow night’s flight. As an incentive $ 400 dollars would be given to any takers. I thought about it and called Jayne to see if she would mind picking me up then I decided to take the flight change. I called Sandy to tell her the change in plan.

The process involved going back out to the check in counter and changing the flight to the January 12th 10:30 flight then getting my $ 400 dollars. (Huzzah) Then I had to wait for some time for them to retrieve and deliver me back my one checked piece of luggage.

Waiting for my checked luggage in the empty airport...

Jayne waited outside for me and once I had the luggage I headed out and off we went back to Oakville. Bizarre! One more night.

Thursday, January 10, 2008: Jayne's Birthday

This morning Jayne had to go into town so I tagged along and got my hair cut then walked down by Lake Ontario until she was done.

By the lake

By the rescue station

Today was Jayne’s birthday so at lunch we met up with her friend Jeanie and her little girl at Stoney’s in Oakville for lunch. It was outstanding as usual. Jayne gave the wee girl her Christmas present which resulted in happiness and joy that went completely off the cuteness scale.

Outstanding lunch

This evening we headed over to Paul’s family’s place for a big birthday dinner. Jayne opened her presents first then we had an outstanding meal prepared by Paul’s Mom and his sister Karen. This was followed by the cake ritual and the singing of Happy Birthday to you. For once I did not provide the alternative “Born in a zoo” lyrics.

Not sure what it was called but it was amazing

The Cake

Paul’s parents have had a hot tube installed outside so with borrowed trunks I braved the freezing air and enjoyed true warm of the most heavenly nature there. Outstanding hardly describes it. The evening came to an end at around 9:00 pm.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008: To Waterloo

Oakville sky

Jayne and I had planned to visit my Auntie Mona in Jarvis Ontario earlier in the week, part of the reason I had changed my plans to stay in Toronto. Unfortunately Jayne has been ill so we were unable to go in Monday. We shifted it to Wednesday but in the end only managed to get up to the Waterloo area to visit Cousins Rob and Val as well as seeing my Mother’s sister Aunt Audrey and Uncle Ken at Val and Rob’s new spot.

The legendary Low-Hopper-Cruiser-Mobile

They’ve moved away from Alberta and have set up things in Ontario now. They both looked quite well and their place certainly felt like “home”. Val’s sister Marla came by as well and there was a great deal of fun and laughing in keeping with all those Christmas visits so long ago. It is times like that when I miss my parents the most. It seemed weird that they weren’t there. Hopefully next year I will manage to stay up there for a short time.

Sunday, January 6, 2008: Hanging Out Day 2

Jayne ended up driving me in to the Grape Fruit Moon this afternoon which was nice as it allowed us to have a nice brunch together there. Sunniva was on shift again and surprised me by presenting me with a bag containing none other than “Silly Dog” a stuffed creature I thought forever lost during the upheavals of 2001. Silly Dog is a stuff dog of a floppy nature “that hugs you” and was given to me back around 97 by The Bean herself. I had given it to Sunniva to care for and clearly she did.

Jeff and Phil joined us shortly after we arrived. Gifts were exchanged and good humor was all round. Jayne had to head back to Oakville but her spot was soon filled by the artist Andrew Roth who is always a source of good stories and humor. Wendi Smallwood from the Smallwood-Wallace Insubordination also joined us. Later after Jeff and Phil moved it along Chris arrived. I had planned to stay in Toronto over night however other commitments changed that possibility so I caught the 7:43 GO train westbound.

Heading back to Oakville

Saturday, January 5, 2008: Hanging Out Day 1

Ducks!

I went into the city this afternoon on the GO Train and took the TTC up to Bathurst then walked up to the Grape Fruit Moon. I got a seat by the counter and had some breakfast. Sunniva and Rebecca were both on.

At around 3:00 Tiffany showed up with her wee lad Alex who’s about a year old. We moved to a table as the brunch rush was dying out and hung out for the afternoon catching up on all the news. Alex was well behaved and super cute throughout. Later we were joined by the very ready to have her baby Sandy Moon and Father soon to be Ingram. Chris and Robin also showed up and a good visit was had by all.

I headed out at 7:00 pm and caught the train back out to Oakville. I feel completely knackered still from the gig for some reason. Tomorrow I go back in for day two of the hang out session.

The train back to Oakville entering Union Station

Thursday, January 3, 2008: Snowmelting

Tonight was the first Snowmelter show since January of 2000, although it wasn't actually a true how" but rather a small set. Jayne drove me and my gear into the city and we parked down at a lot on King then walked up to The Fox and Fiddle. Chris was already there with the two other fellows in the house band that play there every Thursday and host the "Jam Night". Justin Showed up a little later and after the house band had finished playing for about 45 minutes we set up our gear.

The place was rather busy and we had a few people out to see us including the Smallwood-Wallace Posse and our friends from as far back as the Wisehammer days Jeff and Phil. We went on at around 11:30 pm. We started off rather weakly by my estimation but things improved by the second and third song. I was having great difficulty hearing the GR 300 at all and by the forth song I had lost signal from the guitar. I suspect the old 24 pin cable that runs from the guitar control to the floor unit has finally come apart, something its been threatening to do for a while. Overall I was less satisfied as to how it had turned out but once we'd finished some drunken college girl came up and asked us to play some thing called "Soldier Boy". Justin noted that if they wanted us to play more that either we weren't that bad or they hadn't been paying attention.

In true Snowmelter tradition photos of the event are less than convincing evidence it actually happened

Robin examines her own handy-work

We packed out gear back up and the House Band went back on a short time after. Justin had to roll out due to work in the morning but Jayne and I stayed around until everyone I knew had left then we went back to the car and headed back out to Oakville.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008: New Years Day 2008

We had a massive snow last night so I woke up to a rather wet and white New Years Day. I had to go in to rehearsal so I took the GO Train in to Union and then the TTC up to College Street and walked over to Chris and Robin's.

Cold, Wet, Snow

here we GO

Everyone must be hung over...

Snowy conditions

Looking north from College Street

U of T and Queen's Park

Packing the car up for the drive to Justin's

Rehearsal went well. Afterwards Chris drove me back out to Oakville.
I brought the 2010 Guitar and the GR 300 with me and Chris picked up
his Strat which I'd borrowed.

There was a big dinner for New Years here this evening. I may never have to eat again. Ever.