Despite fundamentally hating crowds (and, let's face it, people in general), I felt some need to do something to mark Canada Day. Nothing crazy, like a trip to Canada Place to get pushed around by people wearing Tilley hats and fanny packs. I was thinking of something a little less specific. It was the doing *something* I wanted.
So I got up early, even for me, and hauled myself out of the house to ride to feed Lego, the cat I've been nourishing for the past few days. I didn't have to wait for traffic to cross major roads because there is no traffic at 7:30am on a holiday Sunday. It was clear sailing and, as the breeze cooled my skin (but not my head; that helmet is fricking hot), I thought how lovely it would be to do this daily, prior to work. Except for the sweatiness part.
I've still got a bit of a block riding in major traffic, even in the bike lane, but could probably feel OK with riding if I knew I wouldn't have to deal with traffic. I just don't know, during the week, what time that would have to be to avoid cars. The ride into work is sketchy only around the stadiums, with questionable roadwork that never seems to be completed, but puts me far enough in traffic to feel uncomfortably nervous and I wind up riding around BC Place and dragging my bike up two flights of stairs instead of an alternate, direct, roady route.
Anyway, it was a pleasant ride to and fro, and the cat is still alive, in case you're wondering. Which really should be paramount in your thoughts right now, knowing the fate of every plant I've had, including the ones that "are impossible to kill" (oh, how untrue that is). Lego does enjoy pulling out the claws to "play," but I can't get behind that because my own nails don't inflict the same degree of damage as his.
I digress...
After the ride/feeding/ride, I went for breakfast with Jill at a place on one of the tree streets (Yew? Vine?). You're allowed to combo up your Benny's there, so I had a crab one and a mushroom/bacon one. Good stuff. We decided to go for a lengthy walk around Kerrisdale to look at houses and wound up walking for 4 hours, from 5th @ Macdonald to Alma, up to 41st, to Macdonald (where we had a pint of Strongbow that wound up being around $8 apiece. Guh, the Westside is a nightmare), and back to 5th. The weather was perfect and we saw a lot of fantastic and not-so-fantastic houses. I'm seriously thinking about going back to school after this library degree, for something related to buildings. (Colin, got any tips about that?)
Almost as soon as I walked in the door, Chris called to hang out, so we went for gelato. Might as well negate the benefits of exercise. As of tomorrow, he'll be living in the 'hood, right on one of the bike routes. I'm pretty sure I won't see him much after the move, largely because I've got a class starting in a week and hopefully starting my professional experience at the CBC in a couple weeks (!!!), but also because I don't see him much as it is and proximity isn't going to change that. Which is just as well because there are other people I want to see more.
Now I'm just waiting to go for papusas with Tangiene and some Mexicans she befriended at her workplace. She's much nicer than me. I suspect we might wind up at the fireworks (if they're still on, which is always doubtful around here) at one of the shorelines, though am really pushing for Coal Harbour. I've been trying to find out some details on it and it is highly possible I imagined the whole thing. We'll just see.
All in all, a positively pleasant Canada Day. Except for the potential crowds at the fireworks.
Tomorrow I'm off work again (three whole days in a row! Wow!!!) and am trying to figure out the best way to spend the day. I'm hoping today proves the weather is improving, so probably need to either find some skirts or fabric to make a plethora of skirts and dresses (which sounds more fun in theory, except for the fact my serger is acting like a spoiled princess and won't work for more than a few stitches before cutting the thread, meaning raw edges or having to zigzag stitch them all, which I HATE SO MUCH and is the reason I got a fricking serger in the first place. Sigh. What a drama queen I am). Maybe I should just go through the fabric and patterns I already have and see what can be done. I think I still have a bunch of Reprodepot fabric that was meant for cute skirts and possibly vintage pattern dresses. Perhaps it's time to start those projects before embarking on new ones.
Also, the new Spoon is pretty fantastic, though still unreleased officially so I can't put it up. A little more sparse and (not sure it's the right word, but...) airy than recent releases, but easy to get into and tap feet/hands/head to. "The Underdog" is a personal favourite, with trumpets, doot doos, handclaps and the like. "Finer Feelings" is also pretty great. I think I love songs with handclaps. Fits the formula. That he now lives relatively close, I'm not sure why I haven't planned trips to Portland to enquire after him, but have purchased my ticket for the show in September. He's one of the few people I don't mind seeing repeatedly live because he's always awesome. Spoon = swoon.
This Ben Folds Five is also pretty awesome, especially "Kate." A feel-good summer song if I've ever heard one, and still good 10 years later (10 years!!!).
Currently listening :
Whatever and Ever Amen
By Ben Folds Five
Release date: 18 March, 1997
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