Greetings from the road. Ate at Obergs again – the finest dead cow west of Edmonton, in my experience, apart from what I make myself. Musical evening very fine but sparsely attended. Tom didn’t bring his six string Larrivee, curses, but Mike brought *his* so my nose got back on my face. Tori unable to attend due to school requirements. Curses. Rev Katie was there and unlimbered some lovely tunes, including ones I’d never heard before, and her wonderful autoharp which was IN TUNE o ye of little faith. I am glad her hockey game wasn’t happening that night or we’d have missed her. Yes, Rev Katie plays hockey. I can barely skate forwards and bruise if you breathe on me, so I am impressed.
Work was unholy today. Very hard to run a department on a 2/5ths complement of folks. Interesting accident that I was able to be there. Just don’t tell the border guards what I’m doing… I got a ten minute cross exam this morning, but when I pleaded a heart felt “I don’t know what the hell they want me there for sir” he let me go without looking at either my ID or my letter. Today, folks, I unpacked a little of that invisible knapsack of privilege. I guess it made a change for him from hassling coloured folks.
I shouldn’t talk about work. Had a LONG talk with one of the techs about the state of the universe, and I have to say I’m prejudiced…. I always think people are more intelligent when they agree with me, and vice versa. It doesn’t hurt if they are cute, too. Did I say that? I haven’t even been drinking!
The best part of the trip is the guilty pleasure of watching hotel TV. I come away from road trips absolutely flabbergasted at how amazingly stupid television is. I mean, I own a television and all, but I don’t have cable and at this rate never will. My daughter hates me for that, but in later times she’ll thank me for it. Tried calling home and got the answering machine. I know Keith’s at Karate, and I suppose I could call Katie on her cell; unless I miss my guess Paul is swimming and John is elsewhere, maybe at club. Sniff, my empty house.
Rental car is a Toyota Matrix. I really like the dash and the comfort level, but Jumping Jimmy Christmas, it’s like lashing a slug to make the slanty pedal achieve anything. This is counterweighed by BRUTAL BRAKES. I damned near snapped my head off its stalk the first time I applied the brakes coming out of the parking lot at Budget. Drive down was brutal as well, rain and truck backwash making the I5 an unpleasant bit of road. Seeing as how for all the other trips I’ve ever taken down here the weather has always been wonderful, I can’t complain. I just edited out a rather hilarious typo.
I’m here for another two days and then a couple of days off.
