Keeping In Touch

(song lyrics here… heh. I hadn’t heard this before, but how perfect is it?)

It’s awfully short notice, but since today’s our birthday, and it’s also the official release date of Pirates of the Caribbean 3, we’re having a barbeque* featuring screenings of the first and second movies, then attending the third at midnight. It’s rated Arrr!

I came back to work yesterday and three people in a row reacted with “Whoa! You look like you need to take a few more days off!” The lung issues that plagued me throughout the weekend have segued from allergy-triggered asthma into some deep-seated crud that has me coughing continuously,** much to the detriment of my sleep schedule (and poor R:tAG’s). I am glad that a long weekend is coming up, and I am unspeakably grateful to Dancin’ Cicada Jen, hereafter known as Saint Jen, who came through with the prescription meds in a pinch because I am an idiot. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

But enough about depressing sickness! Boo, coughy lungs! Hooray beer!*** The week in Canada was great; old friends with new partnerships and new babies and new houses, dry ribs, Big Rock Traditional, Broadway Roastery mochaccinos, Firefly episodes plus red wine, and lots of driving across the prairies, which I happen to love.**** The only thing missing was a thunderstorm. I miss those very much. We had high hopes of one on our last night in Canada (Tuesday in Edmonton) where the wind was so strong that there were dust devils in the street intersections, the clouds were greenish gray, and the air had that heavy, foreboding feeling. Alas, everything just blew past.

Oh, and I did get the lace shawl done in time to wear it to the wedding; I finished it up on the plane, and did a half-assed job of blocking it on Ben’s living room floor. Luckily, Edmonton’s climate means that it dried almost within minutes. I don’t have any good pictures yet, alas, but I’m very pleased with how it turned out. I’ll re-block it and show you soon!

Thanks to Al and Jen for hosting such a great wedding, thanks to Suzi for hosting such a great party, thanks to Bne, Alamalan and Trent for the hospitality, and thanks to everyone for being such good friends. I apologize to anyone we didn’t see or weren’t able to spend enough time with; we underestimated the amount of time we need to do justice to y’all. We really, really miss you. Come visit!

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*The etymology of “Buccaneer” and “Barbeque” is the same! It’s true!

** A “productive” cough, in medical terminology. We shall draw a discreet curtain over the disgusting details.

*** Have you seen the Red Stripe ads? They’re a hoot. And, unlike some of my favourite ads, you actually remember what they’re for.

**** Though not so much in a PT Cruiser. I cannot honestly recommend the car; very poor mileage, mediocre performance, not very comfortable, high-centered and tippy feeling (though of course some of that might be because I'm used to a much smaller car).