What an Awsome Weekend!!

We have been spending the past three weekends at the gay campground just outside of Fredericton. It is a really beautiful location, and a great facility with free showers, heated pool, and club house for events, but mostly it is a really nice community of people. In fact in the past 11 years it is the first time we have both felt like a part of any community in the maritimes.

It was a weekend full of special occasions as well. Friday was Darrell's birthday, Saturday was our 11th Anniversy, and Sunday was our Friend's David and Miachael's anniversary. So needless to say a lot of alcohol was packed. I stayed home from work on Friday and got stuff ready so we could just hitch up the camper and get right on the road. (We bought a 12 foot hardtop tent trailer three weeks ago, that combined with Fredericton's superior weather has fueled the camping bug lol). We got away a little later than planned but were in the road by five so it put us into the campgrounds around 6:30, which wasn't bad. We got set up and settled in, and eventually David and Michael made it out to join us. They got a little lost due to some construction detours, but ultimately we all ended up in the same place. We had a great night having a few drinks and visiting the other campers.

Saturday was a scorcher of a day. So once we were all up and had breakfast we spent some time in the pool. We made several trip to the pool throughout the day. Around 8 ish that evening my cousin Laura and her partner Ray arrived at the camp to hang out and help us celebrate our anniversary, they even brought some sparkling for the occasion....woohoo. I took Laura on a walk around the campsite to show her around, and when we got down near the washrooms where there is a seasonal tent set up, the three girls who stay there spun their heads around so fast I thought I could actually hear the vertibrea pop, then I remebered...oh Yeah...that's right....Laura's hot! It was actually quite cute. We headed over to the clubhouse for karaoke around 9. It was the first time they had karaoke there since we started going to the campgrounds so no one there had actaully heard me sing yet. Laura and Ray had also never heard me, so I was feeling a tiny bit nervous with a new crowd and family there, but for me those nerves usually only last about half a verse into the first song. I did two in a row and the campers were quite surpised. There were only a few singers in the crowd, but everyone was quite good. Laura put up a song as well, and they called her up to sing it right after I had just finished singing Sherry. She said something, like of sure call me up right after my cousin, and Randy the Host said, well let's see if that voice runs in the family. The music started and Laura opened her mouth and out came a great big powerful voice....blew my mind because I had absolutly no idea she sang. We sang a few more songs and then Randy suggested that we should try a duet, he also said that we needed to make an album together. We tried Picture by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock, it was really good if I do say so myself. Ray and Laura didn't stay for the whole thing, but are coming back for more karaoke next weekend (fingers Crossed). Of course I stayed until the bitter end and then we all ended up around our neighbour's fire. I didn't factor in the bubbly to my drinking equation so was double fisting it for a portion of the night and actually got quite drunk, the sky was starting to brighten by the time I finally rolled into bed.

Of course when you're camping you're up with the sun, so I was up far too early and feeling the effects of drinking far too much for a man my age. Had a quick bite and then right into the pool, because the day started out hot and just got hotter. I got lots and lots of compliments about the singing the night before, for both me and Laura. She and Ray were quite the hit with the girls and guys alike, they all really liked them. After lunch we started packing up. David and Michael headed out and Darrell started breaking down the camper. There was no breeze so the heat actually started to feel punishing by the time we were finally on the road home.(I never thought cold Foggy Saint John would be a relief but it was) We unpacked everything and put some stuff away then Darrell headed off for a nap and I went to soak in a luke warm tub. afterwards I came into the office to start the final render of the final segment of an animation project that has been ongoing for nearly a year. My friend Jesse was down in Saint John from Fredericton for Pride and his husband told me he was planning to go to the drag show at Element, so I popped down to visit with him. When I got there Michelle, the hostess spotted me, and asked me to sing a song at the end of the first set. I was pretty scratchy and dry, but I said sure why not. Jesse left before it came up because he wanted to get back to Fredericton so he didn't get to hear, but it was actually really good. I did Try by Blue Rodeo and crowd went nuts. It was a pretty good boost to the end of an already pretty great weekend.

Today I am decompressing and recovering from all the fun, booze, and sun. Plus I'm feeling pretty good about finally finishing a very long on going project, although it technically isn't finished yet, it's just completed. The corporate whosey whats its still have to go over it up the and down the chain and see if there are things they want to change.

Elevator Etiquite

Why is it so damn hard for people to figure out how to work an elevator? You press the button and step back. The elevator arrives, the doors open, the people get off, and you get on. You press the button for the floor you are going to and find a place to stand until the elevator arrives at your destination. The doors open and you get off. Pretty damn simple if you ask me.

You do not, press the button and then stand right in the center of the door waiting to barge on the second they open. The elevator isn't going to leave you behind. Let the people off first!! Oh yeah, and if the button you for your floor is already lit up, there really is no need for you to press it again.

And if there happens to be someone on the elevator who needs extra assistance getting on and off, or extra time, you put your arm across the doors or press the door open button and get out of their way so they can get off with as least amount of hassle as possible. Don't step over them or crowd them. Parents you are responsible to keeping control of your children as well, do not let them go barging on over top of everyone. People are so rude and stupid sometimes it makes me want to scream!

Here's something that perplexes me about one elevator in particular. The elevator in Brunswick Square which you have to take if you want to go to the gym, go figure having to take an elevator to go work out. There is a post about three feet out in front of the door and people waiting for the elevator tend to stand in that area. On the other side of that post is easily 20 feet of walking space. So why do all the people wandering through the mall feel the need to squeeze themselves between the people waiting and the elevator door in that three feet of space? WTF?

Trip Home

I had a fantastic time on my trip home to BC. I flew out on the 16th of July from Saint John to Vancouver, then up to Williams Lake. My original trip was supposed to be from the 16 to the 27 and my WL to Vancouver flight was supposed to be the 16 and the 26 leaving me a night in Vancouver then home. However my return date got changed to the 1st so I had some time for a surprise trip to Vancouver Island.
My first few days in Williams Lake were nice and slow, I stayed at my Grandparent's house and everyone dropped by at one time or another. I dug my grade ten woodworking project out of the office and finished it. A mahogany Coffee table that we ran out of time in school to finish. It only needed a light sanding, some urithane and the top screwed, so 22 years later I finally got around to it and now it is in my grandparent's living room. Their brand new never used antoque coffee table...lol.
On the Saturday there was a horseshoes tourny up at my Dad's place, and there were lots of people up there that I haven't seen in a long time as well as some I've never seen before. After the Horseshoes, I popped out to Chimney Lake to check in on Heather's 40th birthday Olympics, then I stopped by the Red Dog and sang a little karaoke before heading over to my cousin's place for her Daughter's birthday party. Busy Day. I hung out with my Cousin Laura catching up until about 3 am. Sunday I met up with Debbie and we went over to my Cousin Jim's place for his daughter's birthday. We ended up laughing long into the night, and then Monday, Debbie, Hether, Jim & Sylvie, and I went to the OV and laughed our asses off all night long. It was a great time.
Wednesday disaster struck and I battled a bout of food poisoning. I managed to still make it out for lunch with my aunt Brenda and spend some time catching up, but I spent the rest of the day and night either on or beside the toilet. I was severly dehydrated, and (found out after I got home and weighed myself) lost 15 pounds. Thursday Dad brought me some immodium and gravol and I spent the day on the couch drinking gatorade and sleeping, then Friday I was on the plane headed for Vancouver and the Island.
I can only imagine what Earle must've thought when he laid eye's on me at the sea plane terminal. I was all gaunt and flushed and weak. He took me back to his place, fed me some water and then we went out to Rick and Owen's place, where Earle had his tent set up. I was pretty tired so I didn't stay up late enough to see Rick when he got off work, but I got to see him the next afternoon at the hall where they were setting up for the Pride Dance. Earle's Band Wonderbread played at the dance and Rick did his Vikki Smudge (which has gotten a hell of a lot better than when we doing it 12 years ago - the bitch finally listened to me and starting doing his own singing.) I didn't know a lot of people at the dance which was actually pretty cool, because I was still feeling a little weak and icky, but I did manage to catch up with a few old friends, and I got to concentrate on watchign the band. In all the years I've known Earle I don't think I've actually been to one of his gigs. I've been to jams he's played at, but I think his gigs probably conflicted with mine in those days. It was a pleasure to see them play. Great energy, fantastic musicianship, and great music... the crowd really dug it too.
Sunday I got to spend the day and night with Jan and Mark. Jan swung by the campsite and collected me and too me to her house. I even got to have a nice lonog soak in her jacuzzi tub. It was a very healing experience. I finally felt like myself that day. The next morning Earle swung by and picked me up to take me down to Ladysmith to see my Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Vic, cousin Brett, and her new baby Holly~Anna. (Side Bar - Earled bartended until 3am and picked me up at 10 am....I don't have any friends like that in Saint John). After a short visit there, we were off to Chemainus to see my Grandma and my Aunty Kim. We spent most of the Afternoon at Grandma's new Townhouse and then we were back to the campsite so Earle could go to work. Tuesday morning we headed over to Earle's so he could be present while the concrete guys poured and stamped his patio, then we were off to lunch where we unexpectedly ran into Burton (my friend Bill's Boyfriend). He called Bill and Bill rushed over to see me. He was so happy he actually cried (nobody loves me that much in Saint John). He looks fantastic too...lost 140 pounds, I could actually get my arms all the way around him. We had a good visit, then it was off to the Nanaimo River to enjoy the sun and the water, then back to the campsite.
Wednesday Morning I reluctantly got on the plane and headed back to New Brunswick and the crappy excuse for a summer we've been having here. It was damn hard to get on the plane and leave all my friends and family behind.
I think a change of location is in my not so very distant future.

Sore Tummy

I woke up this morning with a sore stomach. It was good sore though. I went out last night with my cousind Jim & Sylvie, and my close friends from Highschool Heather and Debbie, and we spent the night laughing so hard, that today my stomach ached when I woke up. I have a such a good time telling old stories and catching up on old times. It was a great night.

Green Coffee

No it's not coffee with green food colouring in it, and it's nothing like Green tea.
It's the difference between buying your coffee in the paper cups provided or using a travel mug. We have about a dozen different travel mugs we've picked up here and there, and use all of them. In the morning we make a pot of coffee and take our mug to work. It keeps the coffee hot, the lids close so you don't slop all over when you're driving, and it actually saves us quite a bit of money. How does it save money you ask?
That first cup is made at home, which is a quite a savings in and of itself, but there's more. I generally have my first cup on the way to work and finish it around 10. The mug keeps it hot enough that I don't have to be in a hurry to drink it. Then I go out to Quality Convenience for another cup. They sell java moose coffee there and I like it a lot more than that burnt tasting sludge you get at Tims. A large coffee at Quality Convenience costs $1.25, but if you bring your own travel mug it only costs a dollar. Okay, so a quarter doesn't sound like very much, but add it up over a work week and it's $1.25. Multiply that by 52 weeks in a year and it's $65, then double it for Darrell's coffee and we save $130 dollars a year, by using our travel mugs for our coffee. Add the savings to the 520 paper cups we aren't using and throwing away, and the $2 or $3 dollars a travel mug costs suddenly seems like a no brainer, doesn't it?

May 14th

Ten years ago a complete stranger got a call from the hospital and was told they were a bone marrow match, and for whatever presonal reason they may have had, they willing allowed a doctor to take the largest oger of a needle they could find, stick it into their hip bone, and extract a quart of their marrow. That marrow was immediately picked up by a visiting nurse from Halifax who then jumped on a return flight fromwherever on the planet they happened to be, and then transfused into me to cure my leukemia. I recieved that transfusion exactly ten years ago today, and to this day I still don't know who that perfect stranger was, where they were from, or anything at all about them. I can't even send a card to say thank you.

Spring

First day of spring was Friday. First Day of Spring MY ASS!! It has snowed three times since the "First Day of Spring." Here's an idea, how about we change the Canadian Calendar to actually reflect the Canadian Seasons. Spring means, Snow melting, grass turning green, leaves and and flowers growing, not 10 cm of snow falling and bitter cold.
By this time of the winter I have had it so much with the snow and the gray skies, that to think spring has started and then get snowfall, actually feels like a physical assault. Like being punched in the gut. WE should adjust the calendar so that spring starts in April, when it actually starts in most areas of the Country, not March. Our seasons shouldn't be reflective of some ancient Italian calendar, any more than our time zones are. Australia doesn't call our winter winter, because for them it's summer, so if we're still entrenched in Winter why are we calling it spring?