And here I promised myself that I would be better at posting to my blog!
Oh, well, they say that if you fall off the wagon, you should just get back on again, so here I am, with a bit of a change up in routine for the week. On Monday, we had a send-off for colleague Tony. After better than 20 years in the compensation system (not to mention a horrendous commute), he was ready to hang up his cleats. He didn't want a big fuss made, so we went to our regular Monday Pho place. Same food (we all seem to be creatures of habit), more nostalgia than usual.
We did have a good time, as we always do (good conversation, good food, cheap, what's not to like?), but a little sad. Tony's one of the old-timers, and there aren't too many of us left. I'm not as bad about change as some, but still....
On Monday evening after work, yet another gathering of colleagues, just a "I'll bring wine, you bring take-out Chinese" sort of thing, gathering at friend Susan's place. (She's decided she likes entertaining....)
We do have a good time! I am always grateful for my colleagues. They are not only bright and funny, but supportive in times of need, and, well, good colleagues.
I've been diligently working, but did sneak out a few minutes early on Wednesday to catch yet another movie (it is Oscar season, after all, and I have lots of catching up to do). I saw Saving Mr. Banks, and was delightfully surprised. I do like Emma Thompson, but I am not particularly a fan of Mary Poppins, don't much care for Tom Hanks, and downright dislike Walt Disney, and yet, and yet, I thought it was quite a charming movie.
Thursday, in the interest of multiculturalism, we had a (somewhat early, I know) Robbie Burns Day at work. In the further interest of multiculturalism, I let them recruit me to take part. The boys in the kilts (the answer to the question is "nothing", by the way) did the Ode to the Haggis (in Scottish) and a number of other poems, by Burns as well as other, less well known Scottish poets, I did the English (with a little Yiddish thrown in, ditto for the multiculturalism part) translation, and Clare did the Response of the Lassies.
We started, of course, with the ceremonial piping of the haggis (recorded, of course), and finished with the ceremonial eating of the haggis, as well as very strong "tea" from Scotland. As you can see, we drew a fair crowd, had a great many laughs, and deemed it a hit. Unfortunately, it may be the end of the era. At least one, and possible both, of the guys in kilts will be retiring this year, and I can't see the younger crowd pulling it off - or wanting to!
You might have noticed over the course of the blog that it never rains but it pours. I can go for days without doing anything but working and going home. Then there are the days when two or three things at once are going on. Robbie Burns festivities were Thursday afternoon; Thursday night I was meeting the boys for dinner and bridge. Dinner was at a recently opened Japanese noodle house (I would tell you its name, if I could remember it - I should have checked, it was very good)...
....and bridge was at John's, as it almost always is. I'm going through one of those stages at bridge. Tom - god bless him, he always finds something kind to say - says it because I know so much more that I am realizing how much I don't know. Anyway, I'm feeling exceptionally stupid, not to mention that I have been getting terrible cards. Luckily, between the refreshment and the conversation, we always have a great time anyway, and the boys are such great teachers that it is always a learning experience.
Friday night Tom had arranged dinner and the theater. Tom, you probably remember, was a classmate in law school - a few minutes ago - and has been a constant theater buddy, bridge partner and friend ever since. We went back to an old favourite, The Water Street Cafe in Gastown. We don't head down that way very often - never, really, unless we are going to the nearby Firehall Theater - but it is a wonderful restaurant, old fashionedly elegant, with good food and good service thrown in. Lots of stars.
The Firehall Theater has been around - well, since I started going to the theater in Vancouver. It is a small (maybe 100 seats?) theater in a lousy neighborhood, but over the years, we have seen some of the best theater in that venue. Friday, it was a one-person show called Medicine, written, directed and performed by T.J.Dawe. It was an amazing piece, about how our past shapes us, and how we can escape from its power. Normally, I find that kind of "california woo woo shit -ayahuasca experiences indeed" excessively tiresome, like listening to someone describe a bad acid trip, but I was astonishingly moved, and could not stop thinking about things in my past which might have formed my somewhat twisted personality. The operative word there is thinking. Some people go to the theater to be amused. That's good too, but I prefer to be touched and taught. A great piece of theater.
Not too much more, hold on. Saturday, the weather broke - still too cold for my liking, but at least not raining. Combine that with a half-heard book on my IPod (remember that newish Amy Tan book?), and it makes a long and pleasant walk. (You have plenty of pictures of my haunts here; I won't bore you with more. That, reading and knitting, oh, and doing the Dottie Domestic stuff that even I have to do occasionally, made up my Saturday. Time for another walk on Sunday, to make up for stuffing myself at dim sum (the usual Fisherman's Terrace, but a different cast of characters - friend Arlene (the Vancouver one, not the Seattle one) who I hadn't seen since I've been back, and who is recovering from some health issues, and her friend John. (picture to follow, maybe. My camera was out of juice; John took a picture with his cell phone, but hasn't passed it on yet). It was great to catch up, and the food was fabulous, as usual. (You might have noticed a theme; I am gorging myself on ethnic food, in anticipation of its lack in Palm Springs, where I return in 2 weeks.)
So, another week in the life of....This coming week will be quieter, I think, although I may squeeze a few movies in, and Tom and I have another theater outing next Thursday. Til next week, then.
Oh, well, they say that if you fall off the wagon, you should just get back on again, so here I am, with a bit of a change up in routine for the week. On Monday, we had a send-off for colleague Tony. After better than 20 years in the compensation system (not to mention a horrendous commute), he was ready to hang up his cleats. He didn't want a big fuss made, so we went to our regular Monday Pho place. Same food (we all seem to be creatures of habit), more nostalgia than usual.
Here's Tony, outside our office..... (looks too young to retire, no?)
We did have a good time, as we always do (good conversation, good food, cheap, what's not to like?), but a little sad. Tony's one of the old-timers, and there aren't too many of us left. I'm not as bad about change as some, but still....
On Monday evening after work, yet another gathering of colleagues, just a "I'll bring wine, you bring take-out Chinese" sort of thing, gathering at friend Susan's place. (She's decided she likes entertaining....)
Here's Susan, our happy host (pre-dinner wine will do that for you....)
We do have a good time! I am always grateful for my colleagues. They are not only bright and funny, but supportive in times of need, and, well, good colleagues.
I've been diligently working, but did sneak out a few minutes early on Wednesday to catch yet another movie (it is Oscar season, after all, and I have lots of catching up to do). I saw Saving Mr. Banks, and was delightfully surprised. I do like Emma Thompson, but I am not particularly a fan of Mary Poppins, don't much care for Tom Hanks, and downright dislike Walt Disney, and yet, and yet, I thought it was quite a charming movie.
Thursday, in the interest of multiculturalism, we had a (somewhat early, I know) Robbie Burns Day at work. In the further interest of multiculturalism, I let them recruit me to take part. The boys in the kilts (the answer to the question is "nothing", by the way) did the Ode to the Haggis (in Scottish) and a number of other poems, by Burns as well as other, less well known Scottish poets, I did the English (with a little Yiddish thrown in, ditto for the multiculturalism part) translation, and Clare did the Response of the Lassies.
We started, of course, with the ceremonial piping of the haggis (recorded, of course), and finished with the ceremonial eating of the haggis, as well as very strong "tea" from Scotland. As you can see, we drew a fair crowd, had a great many laughs, and deemed it a hit. Unfortunately, it may be the end of the era. At least one, and possible both, of the guys in kilts will be retiring this year, and I can't see the younger crowd pulling it off - or wanting to!
You might have noticed over the course of the blog that it never rains but it pours. I can go for days without doing anything but working and going home. Then there are the days when two or three things at once are going on. Robbie Burns festivities were Thursday afternoon; Thursday night I was meeting the boys for dinner and bridge. Dinner was at a recently opened Japanese noodle house (I would tell you its name, if I could remember it - I should have checked, it was very good)...
....and bridge was at John's, as it almost always is. I'm going through one of those stages at bridge. Tom - god bless him, he always finds something kind to say - says it because I know so much more that I am realizing how much I don't know. Anyway, I'm feeling exceptionally stupid, not to mention that I have been getting terrible cards. Luckily, between the refreshment and the conversation, we always have a great time anyway, and the boys are such great teachers that it is always a learning experience.
Friday night Tom had arranged dinner and the theater. Tom, you probably remember, was a classmate in law school - a few minutes ago - and has been a constant theater buddy, bridge partner and friend ever since. We went back to an old favourite, The Water Street Cafe in Gastown. We don't head down that way very often - never, really, unless we are going to the nearby Firehall Theater - but it is a wonderful restaurant, old fashionedly elegant, with good food and good service thrown in. Lots of stars.
The Firehall Theater has been around - well, since I started going to the theater in Vancouver. It is a small (maybe 100 seats?) theater in a lousy neighborhood, but over the years, we have seen some of the best theater in that venue. Friday, it was a one-person show called Medicine, written, directed and performed by T.J.Dawe. It was an amazing piece, about how our past shapes us, and how we can escape from its power. Normally, I find that kind of "california woo woo shit -ayahuasca experiences indeed" excessively tiresome, like listening to someone describe a bad acid trip, but I was astonishingly moved, and could not stop thinking about things in my past which might have formed my somewhat twisted personality. The operative word there is thinking. Some people go to the theater to be amused. That's good too, but I prefer to be touched and taught. A great piece of theater.
Not too much more, hold on. Saturday, the weather broke - still too cold for my liking, but at least not raining. Combine that with a half-heard book on my IPod (remember that newish Amy Tan book?), and it makes a long and pleasant walk. (You have plenty of pictures of my haunts here; I won't bore you with more. That, reading and knitting, oh, and doing the Dottie Domestic stuff that even I have to do occasionally, made up my Saturday. Time for another walk on Sunday, to make up for stuffing myself at dim sum (the usual Fisherman's Terrace, but a different cast of characters - friend Arlene (the Vancouver one, not the Seattle one) who I hadn't seen since I've been back, and who is recovering from some health issues, and her friend John. (picture to follow, maybe. My camera was out of juice; John took a picture with his cell phone, but hasn't passed it on yet). It was great to catch up, and the food was fabulous, as usual. (You might have noticed a theme; I am gorging myself on ethnic food, in anticipation of its lack in Palm Springs, where I return in 2 weeks.)
So, another week in the life of....This coming week will be quieter, I think, although I may squeeze a few movies in, and Tom and I have another theater outing next Thursday. Til next week, then.
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