Birthday Celebrations and other Week's Events

I am falling behind with the ever growing list of topics I want to blog about and I do need to figure out a way to write shorter blogs. It is already noon and I haven’t written today’s blog – I spent the morning reading and also went out walking with Bella (more about that in another blog) and I want to get out to what I am thinking of as “The Rice Exhibit” at Harbourfront this afternoon. So I am allowing myself 30 minutes – 20 minutes to create content and 10 minutes for photos and editing. It is now 12:02 – here goes!

Firstly, I need to catch up on this week’s evening activities. As mentioned in the Tuesday blog, Laura and I went to a reading by Chuck Palahniuk on Tuesday night. I lucked out that he happening to be on a book tour to promote his latest book and doing Toronto the week after Laura’s birthday. It was very interesting – although I am guessing that I will not be reading any of his books soon – and Laura enjoyed it a lot. It was held in the Isabel Bader Theatre, which is a 500 seat leacture hall/concert venue at U of T. It was a sold out event. The format was quite unique – he did not actually read from his book. He had rewritten 3 children’s bedtime stories in the misspoken and broken English spoken by of the novel’s protagonist (bedtime stories as he would have had been read in his early years in his homeland) and Chuck read each of these instead of a section of the novel. His versions of Goldie Locks, Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood were interesting, to say the least! In between each story he threw blow up penguins into the audience and had blow up contests. At the end there was a question and answer session, which I found quite interesting as he talked about the unique writing techniques he uses in his novels. I guess you need to read the book to understand the significance of the penguins.

We decided that we did not need to stand in line with the 150 wrist band holders to get an autographed copy signed as Laura’s inscribed copy was going to arrive by mail. So we were able to slip away quickly after the reading was over and go out and have a bite to eat. It was a great Mother-Daughter bonding event and I was even more pleased when her copy arrived in the mail on Thursday. The inscription reads “Wishing Comrade Lilly Execute Best Top Punching Penguin!!” …Chuck Palahniuk. In order to understand what that all means you will need to read his book titled Pygmy. BTW Laura’s nickname is Lilly – so please don’t be confused about that.



On Wednesday night we had a family dinner in belated celebration of Laura’s birthday. This had been postponed from the previous week, which was Laura’s real birthday, but Jeff and Amanda were in Dominican that week and Tegan had to work. So we all met at the Spaghetti Factory for a get together this week instead. The Old Spaghetti Factory is a place that "the kids" like to go even thought the food is mediocre. They are no longer kids but the phrase still is used as a collective noun for our adult children. But I guess what can you do wrong with spaghetti? So I guess it would be fairer to say that the food is neither good nor bad.

Sad that Eric and Kara are so far away so could not join (they live in Phoenix), but we did have 4 of our 5 children plus the addition of 3 of their “significant others” and David, the children’s Dad, and Maria rounded out the group so that almost all family members were present. I might add that I have the seemingly unique circumstance of getting along well with my x and his long time lady and so most of our family events include 3 amicable parents and this was no different. The talk was happy and the adult children had fun. David and Maria are happily in the middle of detailed wedding preparations - they are finally tying the knot this summer and so conversation about dresses, invitations and wedding speeches were high on the agenda. I am still trying to sort out whether I will go solo - I am assured that there will be other unaccompanied folks there. Jeff and Amanda were sporting nice tans and gave us the low down on their trip to the Dominican.

The younger adults have graduated to ordering shots for dessert with a bit of abandon, I am suspecting, confident in the knowledge that the bill will be shared by the 3 more financially secure members of the family, myself , their Dad and Jeff – our eldest son. I guess that is ok for a few years – but what goes around comes around and I shall have no pangs of guilt if at some point I become a burden to them in my dotage!

After the meal I met a friend just 2 doors down at Fionn MacCool's where I frequently go on a Wednesday night to hear Greg Wyard play music. I have blogged enough about this guy's music that you can just click on the side tag to get more info if needed. The night finished off with a bit of nice music and company and got me over the hump of mid week.

Thurdsay night was also a busy one - I had made arrangements weeks earlier to meet work folks for patio beers and a night out at Crock Rock (I have also blogged about this place before). The night was warm and great for a patio night! Perfect weather. Unfortunately there was a poor showing, attendance wise, but I was able to meet with two other contract PMs who have moved on to other companies and catch up on old times. We went out to eat and ended up at a place on Queen West which was very nice and I got home just in time to see the last piece of the Grey's Anatomy season finale.

Alas! My 30 minute timeslot for blogging ended up taking over an hour! I have got to go see that rice exhibit - and it closes at 3:00. Actually, the installation is titled “Of All the People in All the World,” and it is at Harbourfront Centre’s Brigantine Room until May 24. The exhibit features rice, where one grain of rice represents one person. Will be sure to blog about this later!