Day 1, Part 3: Feast!

Steph: It was empty, but then filled with people in a few hours. 
Rem: And pigeons.
Steph:  Where were the people?
Rem: Where were the pigeons?

Time for Solstice Feast!  This probably would have felt like the longest day of the year for Jackie even if it wasn't actually summer solstice, but she still gamely joined us for dinner and our random conversations.

It was the first Feast with Rem and Steph back from vacation.  Rem fed us a delicious dahl*, with colourful salads and homemade bread. 

I took this as an opportunity to catch up and I learned:

1. Alan is a Canadian record holder as part of his swimming team (where 40 is the average age of its members). 

2. Keith in Calgary had to evacuate his condo because they had to shut down the power. 

3. Rem and Steph had a good time in Venice.  The Croatian islands were "Golly grand", with great seafood just living outside their rooms, roofs brown as terracotta, and ruins (over 2400 years old) were built right into the city.  Their photos here. 

4. Alan plans on "spending [his] time reading analogue books."

5. A flood watch has been declared in Edmonton and Erik's half marathon route is changed.

6. Lions and tigers from the Calgary zoo have been moved to the courthouse jail cells.

7. Neil and Kathy's trip to France was wet and flooded (in contrast to Rem and Steph's heat and sun).  They found there when castles go bad they turn into prisons. 

8.  When Alan makes a fist there's a vein that pulses there.  He seemed surprised we were so rapt with attention.  (Steph: "I don't think my blood goes down there.")

9 There are some really strange (and unfortunate) last names:
- Beaglehole
- Child-harmers (Alan: "Is it pronounced "Charmers"?")
- Pine-coffin

 

* Rem's Dahl, recipe of sorts:

 

1. Fry garlic, cumin seed, olive oil  for 2-3 minutes

2. Add ~ 2 cups lentils (mix of red, green, and French), ~ 5 cups water, bullion (or "Better than Bullion"), coriander, garam masala, sald and pepper

3. Cook for 2 hours, add a little water as necessary

4. With 1/2 cooking time left, add greens (kale and spinach)

Wrapped up and ready to make a break

Celebrate the return of the sun! Mom and Dad made a traditional meal for solstice and here are the photos.

Yesterday and Sunday I did shifts with the Bissell Centre gift wrap. I was at the Bay Edmonton Centre location, where there were two tables, one on main another on the 2nd floor.

I had taken one look at the organisers when I arrived and thought "They're babies!" I was assigned to a different table than Rhianne and Chris, and wasn't sure what to talk about with the young'n I was paired. I needn't worry because the silence was soon filled with one exceptionally chatty customer (maybe simply because it wasn't busy and she waited?). It felt as though I was hearing her life story with each present we wrapped: "This one's for Dad, but haven't seen him in so long that I'm not sure he'll like it... " After her, it was quiet. Tap, tap... small talk question... tap, tap, wait, wait... I excused myself to check up on Rhianne and Chris.

What a contrast! Their table was swamped. I joined in and the three of us wrapped what I thought was a record number of presents before closing time. The young'n, I'm sure didn't mind I was gone.

Anyway - another year - hopefully some good news in the numbers.

At work: Quiet. Most people seemed to have taken a few extra days to get the whole week off. For me, one more day... then break! I'm tingling at the thought.

Keep on Truckin'

A visit to Rem and Steph's brought more merry. (Right: Note the similarities between Rem and Santa. ) Thus energised, I was ready to meet up at Rhianne's for her move... to Brendan's!

When I stepped inside her place it was as though I was in Amelie's house! Turns out Rhianne's housemate is French. Maybe this is French interior decorating? While I was coveting the wall colours and the floor coverings, and sneezing, I move things from the basement upstairs to hand off to Rhianne. She then packed things into the van. I couldn't believe after so many boxes she still calmly accepted more. I eventually ventured past the snowy wet threshold to go outside and take a look. She had taken out the back seats and everything fit tight like a jigsaw puzzle. This was some good packing.

Brendan, who was upstairs cleaning, tried to convince me to not hand over the She-Ra garbage can to Rhianne... and maybe instead just "misplace" it into the large garbage bag. I don't think he realised the coolness of She-Ra. It was definitely going to the new place.

Chris arrives and we pack his car up too. Together we head over to Brendan's and unpack. Another trip or two and we're done. All in all I think it was a good move. It was cold, but sunny. Most of all it ended much earlier than I had anticipated. We went to Tropika for dinner.

Since it was still early, Chris invites me to go to Sherry and Robert's for boardgames. O.k. I haven't seen Sherry in a long time... they were in the line-up for a Fringe show last summer, but before that years since Circle K?

So I join them. Sherry and Robert's place is really neat. She was making super delicious cookies when we arrived. Robert gave me a little tour and showed me how they made their living space into a climbing area: handholds were mounted into the walls! While Robert shared his record collection, Siew Chui calls Chris! Wow, it was like a whole day of Circle K reunions and goodness!

I gush over Siew Chui since we haven't talked in a very long time. I asked about motherhood (she's getting the hang of it, it almost feels natural), about being in China (medical care is definitely not as good as Malyasia), and when she'll be back in Edmonton (soon?).

When we finally get to playing the boardgame, I had been lulled into a state of happy high from cookies (so much for working things off in the move), milk, and the warm atmosphere. It was a harsh then when we played Galaxy Truckers - I was timed to build a space ship from tiles containing parts. I'm never good at time pressure. It was fun though. Our spaceships after being built were put to test of various adventures where a dice roll would determine if asteroids would hit and their damage, or if we were encounter space pirates. During this, Robert also introduced some music to me, a soundtrack for the game (Kraftwerk, and Ladytron - I liked the latter).

It was really cold when I finally left. Thankfully, my bout of CARma seems to have passed and the car started without problems.

Today, the longest night of the year. Happy Winter Solstice!

A Time Away

Quite a crowd at Feast. Cam was highly entertaining with this stories from jury duty. Stephen and Meaghan were there (I finally found out where the nose factory [near her belly button] came from). The gingerbread cathedral was intact (though the house had been completely eaten). We toasted to Winter Solstice and the sun's return.

Should be feeling happy that we got off work early today, and my break starts now... but realistically, feeling too tired to enjoy it. Since Erik is away on Christmas break, I am hiding out at his place. He knows I'm here to "prepare for Christmas" (*cough* procrastinate). I am so glad for the empty space, quiet, and internet access! However, not completely thrilled that I managed to get a parking ticket - in a residential area! Argh! Think it was Mark who said that he would fight in court for me if I ever got speeding ticket (because he would never believe I did it), I guess a parking ticket is practically a ticket for moving too slowly (which I don't think anyone would think I was innocent of).

Visited with Rem and Steph for a little bit on the weekend. Rem made me tea and we read Dr. Suess. I watched them open some presents, and was happy to be there. They make me smile.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Longest night of the year passed yesterday without too much trouble. The days are subtlely getting longer. Yay! And then this weekend is Christmas. Happy Christmas everyone! Hope to see you soon.

"Aren't we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know....the birth of Santa..." Bart Simpson