Just over a week ago, I was in Banff for a work conference/workshop thing (yes, I know, life is terribly tough isn’t it?) and on the second night that we were there, we were taken out to one of the local restaurants for dinner.
We were told where we were going, some place called Grizzly’s. Now I had heard of this place once before when we were in Banff. On that occasion, I was there with the family and we were looking for a restaurant that we’d been to on a previous visit, one where we could have fondue. It happened to be closed for renovations and so enquires were made about other options that would enable us to have a fondue dinner.
The name Grizzly’s came up. I overheard another group talking about it at that time and telling how there were phones at every table so that guests could ring each other … because it was a swinger’s place. We decided to eat elsewhere that night.
So now I was headed off to a restaurant with a group of people from work and in my mind that place was a swinger’s joint. Nervous? Hell yes!
Fortunately when we walked in there wasn’t really much sign that it was actually a swinger’s place, other perhaps than the photos in the front of the restaurant that referred to some hedonist’s holiday place and the odd little promotional item that one could buy – a pink “Grizzly’s” g-string. We settled in to our seats and I glanced about nervously, noting that there were indeed telephones by all of the tables.
But putting that out of my mind, I focused on the menu. There was a range of different options for the fondue, but only one that truly caught my eye.
Exotic Fondue. A mixture of meats to be cooked and enjoyed. There were a few raised eyebrows as people saw it and a couple of us decided that it had to be tried.
Rattlesnake, Frog’s Leg, Ostrich, Venison, Buffalo, Alligator and Shark. How the hell could I pass that up. Of the lot, I’d only eaten Shark, Buffalo and Venison before. We were sadly informed that they were out of rattlesnake though. We had to put up with mere Python instead.
Of course, as you can probably imagine, most of the discussion centered around whether everything was just going to taste like chicken and I can only gladly say that it didn’t. I would have to say that the alligator was my favourite and that the frog leg and snake were the most disappointing. But heh, at least I can say that I’ve tried them!
And the telephones you ask? How can I not address that further? Well the fact is that the place was set up as a night club in the 60’s and that the owners were in fact swingers. The phones were indeed there to help people get together, but we were assured that no actually swinging (ie sex) had taken place at the establishment itself. It wouldn’t have worried me if it had, after all, I’m sure they’ve washed the tables.
Dec 19, 2008
Dec 13, 2008
bah humbug
I have been accused at work recently of being the scrooge, chiefly because of a complaint that I made about the local radio station playing Christmas songs intermittently (hey, we are talking about the 1st of December here).
Well the other night i came home determined not to be Mr Bah Humbug and to get the Christmas tree that had been purchased inside the house so that Caroline and the kids could decorate it. I don't usually participate in this because the excitement that it generates in the kids is usually enough to stress me out and ensure that I ruin it for everyone (maybe I really am the scrooge!).
All was well for a while, up to the point that the tree was formed more like a banana than a nice straight Christmas tree. This meant that although I'd carried it in, sawed off the bottom two inches and tried my damndest, the tree simply wasn't going to stand up straight without further adjustement. And given that it was 10:30 at night, I was covered in sap and had been repeatedly speared by pine needles, I lost it. Bah Humbug. Worst tree ever, cursed six ways to Christmas.
Over the course of Friday I thought about it though and came into the house determined not to ruin the Christmas spirit and see the tree where it belonged; upright, vertical and in the stand.
What I found instead was that Michael and Caroline had beaten me to it and the worst Christmas tree ever was in fact a delightfully bushy, tall marvellous tree.
Right now, it's being decorated. Photos to come.
Well the other night i came home determined not to be Mr Bah Humbug and to get the Christmas tree that had been purchased inside the house so that Caroline and the kids could decorate it. I don't usually participate in this because the excitement that it generates in the kids is usually enough to stress me out and ensure that I ruin it for everyone (maybe I really am the scrooge!).
All was well for a while, up to the point that the tree was formed more like a banana than a nice straight Christmas tree. This meant that although I'd carried it in, sawed off the bottom two inches and tried my damndest, the tree simply wasn't going to stand up straight without further adjustement. And given that it was 10:30 at night, I was covered in sap and had been repeatedly speared by pine needles, I lost it. Bah Humbug. Worst tree ever, cursed six ways to Christmas.
Over the course of Friday I thought about it though and came into the house determined not to ruin the Christmas spirit and see the tree where it belonged; upright, vertical and in the stand.
What I found instead was that Michael and Caroline had beaten me to it and the worst Christmas tree ever was in fact a delightfully bushy, tall marvellous tree.
Right now, it's being decorated. Photos to come.
Dec 12, 2008
Dec 3, 2008
Sins of the Father
Last week was parent teacher interviews for the kids at school, so we trundled along to hear what their teachers would have to say about them. Nothing bad and plenty of good which was lovely. Its an amazing insight into a part of their lives that I otherwise don’t get get a view of.
There was one little piece of the night that cracked me up and I had to note. We were talking to Michael’s science math teacher and she was telling us how Michael usually finished his work early and was quite happy to help some of the students that were struggling with the work, that he was something of a leader in the class. Then she mentioned that if there was one thing that he could work on in the class, it was that he tended to do quite a bit of reading in the class.
Déjà vu! Flash back to year 11 when Mum and Dad came home from a parent teacher interview at school and let me know that my Biology (and home room) teacher had made the observation that if I spent a little more time concentrating on the class and less time reading my books under the desk, then maybe I would be able to better than the mid 80’s I was getting!
Man did I laugh!
There was one little piece of the night that cracked me up and I had to note. We were talking to Michael’s science math teacher and she was telling us how Michael usually finished his work early and was quite happy to help some of the students that were struggling with the work, that he was something of a leader in the class. Then she mentioned that if there was one thing that he could work on in the class, it was that he tended to do quite a bit of reading in the class.
Déjà vu! Flash back to year 11 when Mum and Dad came home from a parent teacher interview at school and let me know that my Biology (and home room) teacher had made the observation that if I spent a little more time concentrating on the class and less time reading my books under the desk, then maybe I would be able to better than the mid 80’s I was getting!
Man did I laugh!
3.5
I thought that I’d resolved not to write about the traffic here again, but I can’t help myself. Yesterday afternoon, the wind blew in and with it came the snow. We were all looking outside and thinking that it wasn’t a good sign for the drive home. I made sure that I got out on time to beat the major rush of traffic and thought I was doing well until I hit the gates to the plant. Things got slow after that.
As I made my way across the new overpass to the other side of the highway, things got worse. As I gazed left I saw the big red snake – tail lights being applied repeatedly giving it flashes as of light glancing of its scaled hide. When I looked right it was worse, a stream of white lights filtering down the highway to add to the tail of the snake. And they were moving at a speed that I could have beaten on foot.
I managed to get as far as taking my place in the snake and then moving at a crawl for a hundred or so metres and then came to a complete stop. It had taken me about 30 minutes to make it that far.
TWO HOURS later, we started to move again. Yes, I sat in a line of traffic on that one and only blasted route home for two hours without effectively moving (well other than for the brief moment when we all had to pull onto the shoulder to let an ambulance through).
And of course yesterday was one of those days where I had managed to leave my ipod at home and had to put up with local radio. One channel that I was listening to was supporting International Aids day and so was playing all these depressing songs about that, whilst the other was playing awful crap that at times included Christmas songs. Way to make people want to get out of their cars and shoot someone I tell you!
There’s two hills on the way home from site. You go down the first and up the second. Apparently conditions were so icy on the first of them that trucks were going down all but sideways. So they closed the highway until they could get the sanding trucks out. I’m all for safety, but damn, I sure wish it hadn’t taken 2 hours to sort that mess out. After all, it meant that it only took me three and a half hours for the trip door to door.
And of course there’s that little bit of me that really wanted to experience driving down the icy hill!
As I made my way across the new overpass to the other side of the highway, things got worse. As I gazed left I saw the big red snake – tail lights being applied repeatedly giving it flashes as of light glancing of its scaled hide. When I looked right it was worse, a stream of white lights filtering down the highway to add to the tail of the snake. And they were moving at a speed that I could have beaten on foot.
I managed to get as far as taking my place in the snake and then moving at a crawl for a hundred or so metres and then came to a complete stop. It had taken me about 30 minutes to make it that far.
TWO HOURS later, we started to move again. Yes, I sat in a line of traffic on that one and only blasted route home for two hours without effectively moving (well other than for the brief moment when we all had to pull onto the shoulder to let an ambulance through).
And of course yesterday was one of those days where I had managed to leave my ipod at home and had to put up with local radio. One channel that I was listening to was supporting International Aids day and so was playing all these depressing songs about that, whilst the other was playing awful crap that at times included Christmas songs. Way to make people want to get out of their cars and shoot someone I tell you!
There’s two hills on the way home from site. You go down the first and up the second. Apparently conditions were so icy on the first of them that trucks were going down all but sideways. So they closed the highway until they could get the sanding trucks out. I’m all for safety, but damn, I sure wish it hadn’t taken 2 hours to sort that mess out. After all, it meant that it only took me three and a half hours for the trip door to door.
And of course there’s that little bit of me that really wanted to experience driving down the icy hill!
76 Trombones (led the big parade)
Last Saturday night it was time for the annual Christmas Pageant in Fort Mac. Now last year it had been held in the morning and it was about -25C outside, so old scrooge here said “Baa Humbug” and didn’t go near it with a 10 foot pole. There was also that minor thing where I knew that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from comparing it to the Adelaide Pageant. Fair or not, I decided not to put it up to that sort of scrutiny.
This year, it was about -5C outside and at night and so we decided to check it out.
We had a junk food dinner after ringette and then waited in the restaurant until the crowd started to build before making our way outside. We were near the end of the parade route and that meant that it was a good 30-45 minutes before it got as far as us. That was long enough for us all to start feeling the weather, especially the disinterested boys.
But we battled on until finally it arrived. And it was everything that I expected. Kids on trucks with lights and tinsel over them. I guess the best measure of it was the fact that half way through Sam decided he was so cold and it was so boring that he went and sat in the car for the remainder of the parade. The rest of us held out until Santa came by, but probably only just.
That’s probably harsh for what was achieved in a small community, but that’s what I get for being spoiled with the Pageant at home all these years. It was funny talking to the Canadians about how we get into town at 5-6am to reserve a spot, taking lots of sunscreen and floppy hats as we stood in the snow wishing we’d been wearing more layers!
This year, it was about -5C outside and at night and so we decided to check it out.
We had a junk food dinner after ringette and then waited in the restaurant until the crowd started to build before making our way outside. We were near the end of the parade route and that meant that it was a good 30-45 minutes before it got as far as us. That was long enough for us all to start feeling the weather, especially the disinterested boys.
But we battled on until finally it arrived. And it was everything that I expected. Kids on trucks with lights and tinsel over them. I guess the best measure of it was the fact that half way through Sam decided he was so cold and it was so boring that he went and sat in the car for the remainder of the parade. The rest of us held out until Santa came by, but probably only just.
That’s probably harsh for what was achieved in a small community, but that’s what I get for being spoiled with the Pageant at home all these years. It was funny talking to the Canadians about how we get into town at 5-6am to reserve a spot, taking lots of sunscreen and floppy hats as we stood in the snow wishing we’d been wearing more layers!
Whoosh
Winter is here again, which means snow on the ground, shoveling the driveway and the sidewalk, freezing all your bits off and of course skiing!
Last weekend the ski hill opened for the first time for the season and we managed to make sure that we all got a little bit of time in on the one run that was open.
Last year we hired skis and equipment for the kids, but this year, after doing a bit of research and financial reasoning, we bought them skis. Discount sales and the fact that we’ll get two years use out of them actually made it more economic. It was interesting to see the varying levels of excitement at having their very own skis.
Michael was keen to get them, though he intends to do more snow-boarding this year (particularly in Fort Mac, saving the skis for our trip to Kimberly …24 days and counting!)
Sam wasn’t really interested at all, just happy to have hired skis because he didn’t really see himself skiing that much (last year he racked up the ‘most minutes spent in the lodge award)
Tom was keen, but thinking about the snowboarding as well and then of course there was Emily, who practically leapt out of her skin at the prospect.
Following the actual purchase of them, Michael was happy, Sam was reservedly happy (they’d not had bindings in stock for the skis that he’d wanted and so he’d settled for a pair the same as Michael’s) Thomas was over the moon because he has twin tipped skis so that he can go backwards easily and Emily was happy as a pig in the proverbial because her skis are pink and purple with flowers on them!.
Saturday was the day to test them all out, so we picked them up from the sports shop with their bindings newly applied and headed off to the ski hill where we had our photos taken for our season passes and took off down the slopes.
It was a success all round. Michael only managed two runs before having to head off to hockey, but was happy with his skis. To my utter astonishment, Sam elected to continue skiing rather than go to Michael’s hockey, a complete change to where things had ended last year.
Thomas was in his element, off jumps and skiing backwards on his second run for the year and after a up and down (as in fall down, stand up) start on her first run, Emily happily made her way down subsequent runs with only one or two falls. Not bad considering the extra length on her skis this year! And she only fell over at the chair and held the entire lift line up once.
In talking with Sam at the end of the day, he was very happy to say that he hadn’t enjoyed it last year because his boots hadn’t been very comfortable and he didn’t like his skis that much, but that this year in his own boots and on his own skis, he’s enjoying it. Yay!
Bring on the big runs!
Last weekend the ski hill opened for the first time for the season and we managed to make sure that we all got a little bit of time in on the one run that was open.
Last year we hired skis and equipment for the kids, but this year, after doing a bit of research and financial reasoning, we bought them skis. Discount sales and the fact that we’ll get two years use out of them actually made it more economic. It was interesting to see the varying levels of excitement at having their very own skis.
Michael was keen to get them, though he intends to do more snow-boarding this year (particularly in Fort Mac, saving the skis for our trip to Kimberly …24 days and counting!)
Sam wasn’t really interested at all, just happy to have hired skis because he didn’t really see himself skiing that much (last year he racked up the ‘most minutes spent in the lodge award)
Tom was keen, but thinking about the snowboarding as well and then of course there was Emily, who practically leapt out of her skin at the prospect.
Following the actual purchase of them, Michael was happy, Sam was reservedly happy (they’d not had bindings in stock for the skis that he’d wanted and so he’d settled for a pair the same as Michael’s) Thomas was over the moon because he has twin tipped skis so that he can go backwards easily and Emily was happy as a pig in the proverbial because her skis are pink and purple with flowers on them!.
Saturday was the day to test them all out, so we picked them up from the sports shop with their bindings newly applied and headed off to the ski hill where we had our photos taken for our season passes and took off down the slopes.
It was a success all round. Michael only managed two runs before having to head off to hockey, but was happy with his skis. To my utter astonishment, Sam elected to continue skiing rather than go to Michael’s hockey, a complete change to where things had ended last year.
Thomas was in his element, off jumps and skiing backwards on his second run for the year and after a up and down (as in fall down, stand up) start on her first run, Emily happily made her way down subsequent runs with only one or two falls. Not bad considering the extra length on her skis this year! And she only fell over at the chair and held the entire lift line up once.
In talking with Sam at the end of the day, he was very happy to say that he hadn’t enjoyed it last year because his boots hadn’t been very comfortable and he didn’t like his skis that much, but that this year in his own boots and on his own skis, he’s enjoying it. Yay!
Bring on the big runs!
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