the weekend in three parts...

part one...(no pictures to prove it but it did happen...)

ailsa and i headed over to my dad and janine's saturday morning to see them before i headed off on my mexican adventure and to run some wires for his stereo through the crawlspace...(where i re-discovered my claustrophobia...good times.) it was good. we got the wiring done, floyd and janine have music now, ailsa got to do a little relaxing, i made my famous pulled pork and it seemed to go over well and there were bunnies running around the back yard - i really could have just made rabbit stew instead...nice to see them before i took off, to hang with garvie and nice to ride the ferry back to vancouver sunday morning with a hundreds of face-painted cfl football fans...weird. oh, i had the sunshine breakfast - or whatever they're calling it now - as well...not so good.

part two..(i have the pictures but wasn't part of it...)

the bombers game was a special affair saturday night with all the boys sporting glue-on moustaches and such...nice work boys...i'm very proud of you!



part three...pictures and all...


tonight was fiona's big halloween night, complete with a second incarnation of her corpse bride costume and a fireworks display at a park nearby her and ailsa's house - it seemed like the whole neighbourhood showed-up to watch some of the men from the hood put on a pretty good display. we started the night at ailsa's pals, rob and paula's - where we ate a wicked meal prepared by paula - and then, after it got dark, we rallied the troops and headed-out to let the kids, fiona along with paula and rob's kids cohen and nathan, and paula's parents - nancy and frank, pillage the neighbourhood. (frank and nancy did no pillaging...) their 'hood was packed with kids and their parents and many of the homes were decorated and some of the homeowners dressed up as well for the occasion. good fun.

fiona with her sparkler.

some of the decorations.

rob wore a classic costume.

paula's dad donned the horns.


paula and ailsa were happy for another successful halloween.

the neighbours had some great costumes.



fiona and nathan out collecting candy.

cohen had some vision issues from time to time.

fiona pre-outing.


cohen.

nathan gets in on the candy.

fiona and cohen survey the bounty.

be careful today.

this is not being careful.

take note.

g. xo

sowing seeds for halloween

the other day i planted my winter flowers, very manly, and today - after soaking the seeds overnight - i planted my winter garden. i'm a little late in this but after talking with the dude down at art knapp, i'm willing to give it a go. i've planted some seeds directly and others i have in cups in dirt trying to germinate them and then plant them. so i have two chances to get it right...i also put more seeds in the ground just now to really up my chances - if they all sprout i'll just pull some out. i planted parsnips, carrots, chard, red onions, yellow onions and beets. tomorrow, after soaking them, i'm gonna plants spinach that mishi gave me seeds for.
here goes.
ailsa's daughter, fiona, is having her halloween action at school today and wanted to be a corpse brind - i mean, what little girl doesn't want to be that? ...so ailsa made her a great little costume that she'll wear today to school, and then again sunday night when she goes trick or treating...nice action. good work garvie.
ok. i'm off to run errands...and maybe a taco or two...

g. xo

new ian dury's.

that's a reference that, probably, no one will get...anyhow...i like these new pf flyers.

and i know they're shoes not boots..

just sayin'.

g. xo

hit it.

ever since i first ate the burger at refuel on west fourth, i have been singing its praises. the garbs has had it, corie, andrew and dan...but not joel. so i decided that we, the boys, should all go out and have burgers at refuel before i get on the silver eagle and head south. so i e.mailed everyone, got it all sorted and then, fucked...turned out that last night, the night we had all settled on, was the big lamb night or something at refuel and it was invite only. so...we headed down the street to roscoe's or ronson's...fuck...um, romer's. that's it, romer's. and i'll say this - nice sized burger, decent meat, good ingredients, nice selection, etc but it was no refuel buger, not even close. (i'd even say kinda dry while the refuel burger is awesome drippy goodness down your chin)...and a tad hot in there and i'm just not a fan of sports-type restaurants - as much as i like seeing the giants/rangers game. too many tv's. anyhow...still great to have dinner with the boys and have a few laughs. i think everyone went home fat and happy.

nice.

g. xo

joel enjoys a drink at romer's.

dan and eugene love romer's.

corie telling a story about his and katherine's new house...

wanna buy an elephant?

this is a photo from a while ago - but it looks just like this...different rims will come with the element.

just in case any of you want one or know anyone who may want one....the lawn order honda element is up for sale.

some details:

2003 honda element.
black.
245K (high i know...)
new starter, new alternator, great rubber, new igniton/key tumbler, front struts replaced, new windshield, timing belt has been changed. passed air car no problema.
i used this as a work vehicle so know that cosmetically the interior is not primo. some things are being replaced but the scratches cannot be fixed. the paint is good but, again, not primo.
it has the premium stereo for that model year, including sub woofer and aux in for ipod play.

i will be selling this when i get back from mexico in december. (after dec. 8th to be exact.)

so if you know anyone who may be interested please let me know...the price is pretty sweet.

g. xo

seeding this, seeding that.

today, after cutting the last lawn of the season, i took some of the goods i bought at art knapp (a place that's now just that little bit harder to get to because of the bike lane on pacific - and honestly, it's the first time that lane has affected where i've needed to go but i can see why the folks at art knapp are pissed off...but i digress...) and i planted them...what's them? well, some winter pansies of course. since i took the summer plants out it's been a little dreary out there - and hopefully we get enough sun over the winter that they give the deck a little color. it'll be good.
i also bought some seeds for some winter veggies i'm gonna grow - onions, chard, carrots, beets, parsnips, etc...some i'm gonna seed directly into the soil tomorrow, the others i'm gonna germinate in the house and transplant into the garden at a later date. (this will either happen when i get back or while i'm away with the help of katherine and corie who will be staying here while i'm gone.) i'm stoked to grow some root veggies that i love to use in stews and with roasts. nice.
i think i bought a new car today as well. well, new to me. the details of which will be worked out but i think it's a good deal for both parties involved. i get a car i know the history of and they, my pals at voltage, get a deal they're happy with and they don't have to deal with tire kickers. yup, the elephant is going away - but i may know where - and i'm replacing it with a nice red and black 2006 model. i'll be sad to see it go, the elephant, it's been a great car to me and taken me to a lot of places worry-free.
so for those of you keeping track at home - i leave for mexico nov. 4th and will be back on the 8th of dec. try and be good while i'm away. i'm hoping to see my pal richardo, headquater head honcho, in mexico city while i'm there and get the super locals tour. i e.mailed him and he's happy i'm coming and it'll be great to see him.

ok. more laundry.

g. xo

you should look...

...here.

g. xo

red leaves and pumpkins...

it's that time of year again and while i'm not generally amazed by nature - i like it just fine but i'm not one to stand in awe (maybe that's what's wrong with me...) but, i do like the changing colors of the fall season. it really marks the end of, not only summer and that the wet cold winter is coming, bit for me the end of lawn cutting season. season six is in the books - more or less (a couple more this week and that'll be that...), the mowers get tucked away and allowed to sleep until march and i give the tendinitis in my elbows a rest for a few months. i do love the mowing but will admit that once the wet comes and the lawns are hard to cut and the fuckin' leaves are there and a pain to move - i'm less thrilled by it. lucky season seven next year. i look forward to it. and as a last look at it all - some of my lawns - i took a drive today and made sure they were all tucked away nicely and took a few pictures of some finely colored trees.


and more of the season that is, tonight ailsa and fiona came over tonight and brought with them a few pumpkins that we were gonna carve up and then light up with candles. good times. i'm a fan of cutting up the gourds. and then, after doing our best on the pumpkins we ate a nice little dinner - mini burgers and home made fries...oh, and a nice salad....i'm also a fan of the burgers (much like the garbs...)


ok. time to have a little relax.

g. xo

happy birthday to the fawnz!

hey lady!
it's your birthday!


today is one of my favorite's birthday, the fawnz. yup, it's fawn's big day....


i hope you have a great day!

g. xo

i should be excited...

...so why am i not? about going to mexico? to go to school to learn a little spanish. eat some great food and just hang out...
i dunno but the last few weeks have made me super uneasy about going at all. just sayin'. i have a healthy fear of failing - and know this, if i go (and i will...) that i will work hard and try and do the best i can...but i'm scared i'm not equipped for it. we'll see. maybe in the end i'll just be able to order tacos more better....(that's a joke..the bad grammar...) i think some people are built and wired to learn languages other than their own. my dad is. the acorn may have fallen too far from that tree.
i'm also bummed that i can't drive there. super bummed. and now have to fly. and that's a deal i hate as well. buying tickets. arriving three hours early. the search. the questions. the cramped seats. all bullshit. connecting flights. fuck you.
and the cost. more bullshit. especially from vancouver - taxes and other bullshit costs attached. fuck you gregor. (i know it's not his fault but i hate him and he's the mayor and...in think he's a fuckwad. period.)
(and know this, that i would love one day to tell him in person that i voted for him and now i just want him to burn on the east van sign at great northen way and clarke drive.)
ok. back to this mexico thing.
i just wish i was stoked to go. i was all gung-ho months ago, full of excitement for it and now...not so much. i'm gonna miss some work, i'll miss garvie as well. but it'll fly by and i'll be back so that's not a big deal, but i will miss her. ok.
some last cuts today. some letters put in mailboxes saying 'see you next year'. i'm ready for it to be over too. it was a weird lawn order year but i loved it. even the bad days out there. like a bad hockey game, always better than working.
speaking of hockey i should hit the road, i'm playing for the cowboys this afternoon.

have a wicked saturday.

g. xo

kids say the darnest things..

i was looking for something but found this instead...i love reading some forums - usually the ones i have no real interest in are the best because the language is hilarious.

ok. go texas.

g. xo

thanks bob...

...for making my teen age years just that much better.

rest in peace, bob.

g. xo

demo-goodness aka givin' it all away

why should i stand back and let corie and katherine have all the fun? i mean really? ailsa's getting her bathrooms re-done and as she's doing them one at a time, the small one was on the chopping block last night. i took over a few wrecking tools and a big garbage can and was also armed with a few names and numbers, as i had listed on craigslist that would have a few good bathroom items available very soon, so as they came out i'd call people.
or that was the plan.

my car loaded with the crapper and other bathroom items.

the pedestal sink and toilet, both in great shape, both came out no problema, the wrinkle was, as the night progressed, no one who said they were interested or coming by actually called or showed-up. fuckers. no biggie. this morning i went at the shower and had it all out in about an hour and a half and was ready to get rid of all this gear. more phone calls, one guy came by but didn't take anything, some texts, but nothing concrete. then i decided to load-up and head to the dump. then one late text. they wanted the dumper and the sink. could i bring it to them? nope. could i wait? only so long. they were on their way. ok. sure. i told them to hurry as i was already done with this thing an hour previous. (the texts had gone back and forth...and back and forth...)
in the end, as everything was in my element ready for the dump, i met them - a young man and his aunt, i think, in behind the CIBC bank at 28th and main and they took it all away. no dump action. nice. all good.

now all loaded in their car.

now i need a snack. some pics tomorrow of the demo. a little blood but all in good fun.

g. xo

spring cleaning-ish....

i lost a thing, a thing for my arm when it gets all fucked and sore, so today i thought i'd a: look harder for it as i need it right now and b: get rid of some shit while i looked for it. i have metal boxes and a 'junk' cupboard that i use and today was clean-up day...amazing what you find - things you didn't even know you owned or thought you got rid of years ago...
rca cables, an old telus flip phone, small toys, pencil sharpener, calculator, little bags for organizing, manuals, a green dish that's actually quite nice, some ikea thing that i have no idea what it was for, a bunch of telus home phone cable things, etc...next time you're over, take some of this shit home...i never found the arm thingy...
ok...a couple lawns to get to, a piece of movie equipment to return and maybe a taco or two...nice day out there...get at it.

g. xo

due.

ok.
a few things.

for the first time in, well, forever, since its inception, topanga cafe will be open on sundays - kinda. andrew is opening the cafe on sundays from 3 pm to 7 pm for take-out only, good idea. last sunday was the first, this sunday the next. so for those of you, and me, who need a little topanga-type love on a sunday, get it now.
is anyone else as bored by hockey on tv as i am? i try, i really do - and it could just be the games i've seen thus far but, man, boring. and i don't care who's been playing - with a few exceptions, of course, but man...big yawn.
i just saw bengie molina hit a three run homer...good lord i love that fat little fella. go texas.
for those of you who have asked me, from time to time, about my mailbox in point roberts - i don't have one. what i use there is a mail receiving service that you can use too. simply have any mail you want to go there addressed to you as if it's your address there. in point bob. and that's that. 145 tyee drive, point roberts, washington, 98281 is the address and away you go. no in care of, or any of that...just your name and that address. bingo.
shit. i just checked in on the canucks game...wow. 6-1 for the wild. love it. first bengie now that score. sometimes the nights are alright.
in case you've ever wondered - they can tow your car even if your dog or cat or tiger is in the back of it. i saw it the other day as a buster's tow-truck take a car away from the front of capers on west fourth ave. i even phoned buster's as it was happening - and the crowd assembled that wanted to 'clock' the tow truck driver - and they said they do it all the time. nice.
today - five lawns and some other errand action, at least two more lawns tomorrow...
have fun - ok?

g. xo

friends indeed.

i received this early this morning from my good pal craig. count your blessings.
...........

This Wednesday night October 20th, we'll all be playing an intimate (250+
seats) room called "THE CHAPEL" in downtown Eastside Vancouver. (400 East
Cordova St. at Dunlevy) This is a benefit for the family of our dear friend,
and collaborator Paul Baker. Sadly, Paul was taken by cancer about a month ago.

Over the years he helped so many musicians by donating time at the North Shore's
own Baker Street Studios. In numerous other ways he showed great generosity. He found a way to help anyone create music who may not have had all the resources.
When we were young bucks with no bucks he stepped in to record us.
His engineering skills can be heard on many projects that Odds members
have worked on over the last 25 years and Baker Street has long been the designated
2nd home for all our work. He employed us, as players, on countless
occasions.

As I'm sure you know, cancer treatments can be extremely expensive and
Paul's we're very much so. We want to celebrate Paul and also raise funds to
ease the financial burden on his wife and young daughter.

Doors open at 6:30PM Wednesday night. Chilliwack will start the show around
7:30 with a few tunes and then the Odds, Paul Hyde, UHF, Roy Forbes and many
more great performers will rock you through this a very special night!

Please go to www.themusicfamily.ca for tickets and details. There's a map to
The Chapel on the site.

If you don't happen to be near Vancouver Wednesday night and can't make the
show, there is another way to help. On the website www.themusicfamily.ca you
can place bids on some beautiful items that have been donated for auction,
or simply hit the donate button and add to the pot for Paul's family.

"The Music Family" is an organization that has been created in tribute to Paul
and will raise money in the future for the families of artists who are struggling
with dire health issues and do not have adequate support.

yours

Craig, Doug, Murray and Pat -- Odds

cheap like...lasagna..

well, the truth is, it's not cheap - the first time you make it, or if you haven't made it in a while because you have to buy things you'll never use all of, like spices and such. that's ok, i like lasagna and, while i know i kinda screw-up the recipe a little, it always seems to work out...well, as far as i'm concerned. i figured it would be the perfect baseball watching meal for tonight so i headed off to bosa and bought the goods to make it - sausage, ground beef, noodles, spices, then cheese on granville island...nice. it's in the oven now so it should be ready by the start of the second inning. and by the seventh inning stretch i'll be passed out on the couch in a carb coma.
yesterday garvie asked me to go to ikea with her - i must really like her going to ikea on a sunday...and i do...so, off we went. she's doing renos on her bathrooms and is getting some of her bits from the swedes. i'll be doing some bathroom wrecking later this week and am kinda looking forward to it. if you know anyone who needs a toilet, or two, and a bathroom sink, or two - one a pedestal style the other a vanity style, let me know, i know where they can get one. or two.
after ikea we went and looked at some tile for her bathroom floor and then did a little hang out and shop on granville island...pretty good day. oh, and speaking of good...ailsa took a couple of my spaghetti squash home and made a wicked soup with them that i enjoyed last night here...pretty good....thanks ailsa!
ok.
go texas!

g. xo

i've heard your name a thousand times...

lawns....hell, i was at it today. my tendinitis in my arms loves the lawn action...
but before the lawns there were errands - not many, but some - i had to take a picture of judy's car because she hit something and now needs a new turn signal/running light on her volvo...sure, i can make that happen...yup. then it was off to the hellish part of richmond, i mean the really hellish part of richmond - out near the border of new west and richmond - say six road - fuck, out there. but my good pal andy has a shop out there and i needed to go see him as i have inherited a go-ped electric skateboard and it needs some love and he's the man for the job. that thing'll be a gas around the 'hood and down at the pickle running to get coffee and annoy the tourists...and it may, eventually, make it's way to the boc shop where we can hit the ethical bean on it and pick up light goods at air liquide and fairview...nice. i see someone hitting the pavement at some point but what's a skinned knee or two, or a broken arm? no biggie.

soon scooter will be over here getting a mac tutorial - like i'm the man for that - and then it's the baseball playoffs (bull was good enough to send me this today and even after reading it i know i still love baseball and, while i agree with some of it, i say leave it...just fuckin' leave it..) and i'll be settled in for that, sitting in my gonch eating something i shouldn't be. alright.
ok. have fun...

g. xo

sometimes the most innocent thing

i just, well yesterday, downloaded Tusk by fleetwood mac. i have always had a soft spot for this album - even though at the time it was released in 1979 it was seen as a failure because it didn't sell as well as rumours i still loved it...when i was playing in pepe deluxe with the snfu boys (with some help from the roswells, hard rock miners and doa as well) we really should have done Angel from that album...could have been a show stopper.
floyd and issy bought me that album - like a real actual record album - for christmas that year and i remember it came with a lot of stuff - cards inside, fold-out this and that, etc...and really that's what's really missing from cds and such now - no extra shit. being able to read the notes in the end wax, etc. i love that shit.
anyhow. i love that song angel and i'm gonna listen to it again right fuckin' now.

beat that.

g. xo

happy fall season....

...fuckin' rights!

g. xo

cleaning mishap

i'm not sure how it happened but, after i put the blender glass carafe in its place in the blender base...it fell. and it hit my stone counter top and that's not so good for it...bingo, bango...el cracko.
hello internet.

g. xo

woop...

(i downloaded a photo application that makes polaroid thingys...geek...)

it both seems like i'm doing a lot every day and not doing anything at all since ending the last big hollywood number...i sleep in a little each day (for me this is getting up any time past 7:30 a.m.) i check out the e.mail, etc. make a little coffee, make a smoothie or something else to get me going, look at the same sections of craigslist most mornings - photo/video, computers, wanted (i love seeing what folks are looking for just in case i have something they need - never do...) and the electronics section. i also look in the job postings just in case there's something i can do for a day or so and make a few bucks....has never happened, but it could. i think sometimes about early morning newspaper delivery...what the fuck? why not? that and nevada, the boss at the jj bean on main street said she'd hire me to run the till there if i wanted...i'd just order up lattes for everyone regardless of what they ordered because really, no one in vancouver really makes cappuccinos anyways....it's the truth. try it. order a small latte and a small cappuccino at almost any coffee shop and they'll both feel (weight) and taste the same. just sayin'.
and so it was yesterday that i finally decided that i had had enough of my current iphone and that i wanted/needed the new one. the lines had subsided somewhat and since i had woken-up at 6 am and had nothing else to do, i was of to the apple store at pacific centre to line-up with the other nerds and get me an iphone 4. (they now just take your name and give you an appointment for later in the day for you to get your phone rather than hanging out all day in line...) and i knew corie wanted one as well because his current phone was fucked so i got him an appointment as well so we could geek out together with our new phones...so that was that...new phone - not without it's issues but good so far. ('he who can not be named on the blog' was giving me the gears because i was talking about how 'neat' it was that i now had a data plan and could get e.mail on my phone - i had not gotten it on my first iphone as i just used wi-fi around town - and that i could use the net to find out things while i was out, etc...and as he commented "not call him when i was out and in a panic to find something and ask him to do it for me...") anyhow. i've moved into 2010...
i also met with mishi yesterday to buy some fabric for some curtains she's gonna make for me, ate a few tacos, helped move a bed and frame for one of the fine baristas at jj bean - he's a happy camper now and i'm sure my coffee needs will be met for the next while - and in the comings and goings yesterday managed to turn my place into a disaster area...so cleaning is on the agenda today...as is bomber hockey tonight...
i think i may make some pulled pork today as well for some at-home taco action for ailsa and me...good rainy day thing to do...
good times.

g. xo

happy birthday lady!

with two thanksgiving dinners done and well accounted for - two great dinners (saturday night at issy's and sunday night at tom and dorothy's) it's now time for the next big event - mishi's birthday! yup, today's moto's birthday and we should all stand tall and salute her on her big day...
happy birthday mishi....!!!!

g. xo