Winnipeg

Theresa, my sister, arrived in town last weekend to collect her and her husband’s stuff which landed in Vancouver after being shipped over on a container from Dubai. We got to hang out all weekend, which was nice, and then on Monday, with the help of Dave, she loaded everything up on her Ford Ranger for the drive out to Winnipeg. Dave said it was about as much as the truck could carry and they used several tarps and 200′ of rope to tie the whole load down! Then they took a test drive up to Horseshoe Bay, adjusted a few of the ropes, taped down some loose tarp corners, and she went on her way. I got word that she made it back alright and now has a mountain of stuff to unpack and sort out.

This was probably the last time I’ll see her in Vancouver for quite some time but I’m planning on going to Winnipeg in the next couple of years to check it out. I’d like to spend a few days exploring the culture out there and I’m going to try and tie it in with a show happening there. Maybe the Weakerthans will do another performance at the Burton Cummings Theatre.

She even brought me cookies from The Tall Grass Prairie Bakery! They were some of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted. The bakery is obsessive about quality ingredients to the point that they mill their own flour. So I need to go there and sample more of their goods.

Noise

Reilly and I jammed downstairs on Thursday night sans singer since Shan’s enjoying Thailand where Josh’s brother is getting married. Reilly and I have occasionally been making noise under the guise of making music in the jamspace downstairs. We have one song which is about greasy bar hookups. We started writing another one and we had an idea about another greasy hookup gone wrong. Then this morning I had a flash of inspiration about another song featuring greasy people hooking up at the bar and I’m hoping this leads to a third song!

If anyone’s wondering how sleazy people hook up at bars then consider our music your formal education minus the STDs.

The Canucks Are Canada’s Only Hope!?

Montreal and Ottawa are facing elimination which leaves Canada’s playoff hopes pinned on the Canucks. Pandemonium! Dogs and cats living together! When I first moved to Vancouver I tried to root for the Canucks but I found they would fizzle out in the playoffs every season. So I formally said, “stuff it” to the Canucks and trumpeted my love of the Calgary Flames to all who would listen. I was born in Calgary so the Flames will always be my #1 despite this season’s poor showing.

But the Canucks!? Art Ross trophy for Sedin and Luongo taking Canada to gold at the Olympics! It seems too good to be true. I’ll believe it when I see them enter the 3rd round. Long way to go until then.