chilifest

i bought a lot of hamburger from the boys at columbus meats yesterday, but had the idea that if i didn't use it all - and i didn't - i would make myself some chili tonight for dinner - which i have...i love chili. just basic ground beef, kidney bean, chili...i add black beans as well as onions and mushrooms and it's a pretty good snack. and with a few of them mini hamburger buns left over from last night, i've got some pretty good vehicles for sauce and chili.
i finally made it out of the house today after being stuck in my apartment for most of the morning - i cleaned a little, did some laundry, chatted with shauna on-line for a bit, had some coffee, and found it hard to leave because the weather looked like shit. and then. it cleared and i made a break for it. i went to granville island and saw the garbs and mishi and took with me some smoked salmon i had gotten from one of my lawn order clients as payment, and mishi and i went to the market and bought some bagels and goods to put on them. pretty good. holy run on.
afterwards i went up fourth and did a little shopping and then ran into 'he who can not be named on the blog' and we went for coffee at a new joint just down from my place..bido? bibo? i dunno...i'll get the name later, it's pretty good. i'm happy it's close to home. i'm gonna go there tomorrow as well.

then it was time to go for a short ride on my motorcycle - i like going out to the airport and riding down to iona beach or whatever it's called...i stopped and watched the planes - i love that shit...and then rode around for a while but had to come home as my hands were cramping up as they do...no word as to why they do - i've had tests...they just do. but it was great to get out on the bike and feel like i should keep the bike. i do love it.
then it was chili making time and right now, chili eating time.
i'm gonna eat some more.

have a great night and nice holiday monday tomorrow...

g. xo

burgerfest 2011

it was kind of fucked that i had decided to have burgerfest on a long weekend, when people would be away enjoying time at the lake or touring wineries or ....but i did and, in the end it turned out well and a good time was had by all...and people went home with leftovers...i have to admit that i was bummed that not everyone who was invited could make it - for a variety of reasons - but it's that way and....well, it's that way. life isn't exactly how i thought it would be and i'd be lying if i said i was happy about it...but, that last statement has nothing to do with burgerfest and i'm not going to get into my 'state of the union' address right now.
right now it's time for the pics from burgerfest...no more words to mess it up.

g. xo

mini-bike pool party disco dance off

it's about time but the red is beginning to show on one side of my garden and more green is happening on the other side...maybe by the time the burgers come off the grill on the weekend there will be tomatoes to put on some of the snacks and for some fresh pico de gallo. nice.

a big super duper thank-you to andrew who came with me tonight to the loft in gastown to help me fix the leaky pipe under the sink...while i know what's what, more or less, i always like to have someone there for moral support and to lend a hand where i need it...corie has come to the rescue before and tonight it was andrew for his third trip. good pals helping me out. i did the work tonight but andrew's advice was priceless...
check out these things...pretty fuckin' cool.

ok. relaxo.

g. xo

badlands.

the ferry is awesome.

last night after hockey corie and i stopped in at roma on hastings for a snack. the pizza there is amazing - have i told you that before? well, fuck it, i'm telling you again.
we also had a little appy but what made the meal for me was the dessert - i don't eat a lot of dessert but this was the shizznaz...or something.


semifreddo. look it up. the one we had last night was a almond version with hot cherries on top and side...good god it was good.
have you heard 'heart attack' by raphael saadiq? find it. old school sound from the new school.
i've been thinking a lot lately about moving...i know i can't, not yet, but i do think about it a lot.
i was also thinking about getting a tattoo on my neck the other day...what the fuck? and also had a conversation about dogs and maybe getting one..huh? it's like a portion of my brain just turned right off...the smart thinking part...
ok.

g. xo

a week to say.

floyd in his new lawn order nixon shirt

well..i dunno.
without getting into too much detail, it has been a bit of a time for me of late. a time of change and surprise and uncertainty and ....and somehow, i have managed to navigate it - well, as best i can. i doing ok. last week in particular was one of wonder and, maybe, just maybe, it was a test. and i think i passed. tomorrow is a new start to a new week and soon a start to a new month and i will, do my best there as well.
the last few days in pictures below...sometimes the words just don't fit and...and i sit here at the ferry terminal in victoria waiting for the next sailing, i feel less like writing about the last few days but rather will give you the visuals.

be well. stay steady and calm.

g. xo


jenn and i took the ferry over to victoria today...jenn was returning home after a lovely week with her man marc - who has gone back to thunder(dome) bay for work...i was going to visit floyd and janine so i offered her a ride in larry over...she accepted.


there was a surprise birthday party yesterday evening for dan - a potluck (i made beef brisket tacos with pico de gallo and salsa verde...) joel and scott had a great time...i think.

more jenn on the ferry...almost losing her hat.


a sexy soft focus scott shot. i love him.

who loves tacos? omayra does!

andy and andrew enjoy a night out.



al really enjoyed his night out.

the birthday boy and dan. they love every night out.

short note to say...

i just had one of those incredibly random things happen that made my week, perhaps my month...i was going to go grocery shopping and then head home and make something before my hockey game tonight but, instead, went to get a rib eye at refuel...eat, have a drink, go sweat it out on the ice with the bombers...
as i was parking i saw this guy walking up the street that looked so familiar to me, and he was, and he should have been, because i knew him. kevin rose. now kevin rose and i were never tight, or really great friends, but good friends, and i have, over the 20 plus years that i have known him, had some amazing conversations with him, shared laughs, watched him play in bands that were amazing, talked music, interviewed him on the radio, etc...an amazingly friendly and engaging man.
and there he was walking up fourth as i plugged my meter. another minute and i would have missed him.
kevin played in a whole host of bands and i got to know him when he was playing in crash, bang, crunch, pop with ron reyes and the boys from the gutter snipes. it was then that i also found out that his wife, trina, had confessed to him that she had a huge crush on me from listening to me on the radio on citr and later on the CBC.
kevin was the guitar player that drove all the girls wild. good looking and talented. he later played in the wongs with chi pig and Coal with marcus rogers, nicole and ian tiles.
after we spoke for a bit i told him i was going in to refuel for dinner and he asked if i was meeting anyone and i said no, he then asked if he could join me...and what followed was an amazing dinner with an old friend - somewhat like the dinner i had the other night with muc and jenn except it hadn't been years and years since i had seen muc and jenn...
i could go on and tell of the stories we told and the way it made me feel to have this immediate connection with someone i hadn't seen in years, but i won't. suffice to say it was great.

thanks kevin.

g. xo

in bloom

hey hey!

g. xo

out there the sounds come in loud and clear

there are areas of the states that, if you're driving around late at night - and even during the days sometimes - you can pick up radio stations several states away from the one you're in. nevada is great for this - as the stations you can get while in washington. i remember listening to stations in carson city and needles while i drove in eastern washington on my way somewhere. i used to love listening to game calls in parks so far away from where i was but it gave me comfort as i drove out in the middle of nowhere. i love the call of vin scully. so many times i drove through small towns close to LA and listened to him as he called the dodgers games. his voice is so distinct. in the hall of fame and for good reason. his is a dying breed - the likes of harry carey and ernie harwell, who are, indeed, dead. i had the pleasure of meeting carey at wrigley field years ago and the honor of standing outside harwell's booth as he called a A's and Tiger's game in Oakland.
tonight vin is calling the game between the giants and the dodgers and i don't even think you need to like baseball to enjoy listening to him. i find myself making my dinner and just listening to him, hardly ever looking at the tv.
i'm making soup. i like soup.

g. xo

one back and forth.

it hasn't been the best weekend on record, but the sun came up this morning and after some gardening - some of that stuff had to come out to make way for new plants that will hopefully grow - and some sweeping up of gravel - i finally got it together and ran small 'birdseye' gravel around the perimeter of the deck to make it look less gappy and more finished - i am ready to face the day. if this weather holds, even for a couple hours, i'll be able to get judy's place mowed and feel better about cashing the cheque she sent me for four cuts even though i had only done three.
marc and jenn are in town and at the last minute i made an appearance at the shum's to see them. we made plans, i think, to eat together tonight so that'll be nice. it's not often the boy from thunder bay makes it to town so i want him to leave fat and happy - jenn on the other hand i just want to see happy. i may see if they're interested in going to roma.
i just finished reading, or scanning, the new georgia straight and i feel like i just read a copy from 1989 or so...ads for gigs and concerts by the go-go's at the commodore, soundgarden at roger's arena, portihead at the forum, butthole surfers at the rickshaw, blink-182 and rancid at roger's arena...holy cow. wanna feel old read the concert listings in the straight.
ok. i need a snack.

g. xo

and you look like me...

...and i look like no one else...oh dulli.
you know, lou reed really hasn't made a great or even good album since 'new york' and even it was suspect. and between 'street hassle' and 'new york' was the awful mistrial - what a fuckin' dog.
the mariners, as i watch right now, have gone 22 scoreless innings. that's not so good...and a shame really that ichiro will play on that team and never get his due. a west coast superstar. and the east coast couldn't give a shit. i told the garbs when he saw him play to pay attention because he was watching a future hall of fame player.

jurgen and i rode our bikes to the testing station this week, the DMV, but he got the info wrong on the testing times so it was a ride to burnaby for nothing, no biggie...so we'll go again next week. i think.
i managed to get four lawns cut today - two at lunch and the other two after work - so that's good...i have two more to do over the weekend, maybe three, but it's all about the weather now - this summer is the best ever. did you see it?
i helped a guy at the gas station tonight. he was walking around asking people for directions somewhere and no one could help him so i asked him where he was trying to get to or go...he was trying to find his way back to the border - he was from arizona - and didn't know how to get there and no one, not the attendant at the station, not the three other people at the gas station...no one. so i piped up and asked if i could help. and i could. and let me say this, i'm no smarter than the average bear, but i know how to get places...(cam and jess actually sent me a text tonight asking for help with the distance between US cities so they could make a plan....they're in wyoming ...) and i know that guy's pain asking people for directions and no one knowing. i've been in cities in the states and asked people for directions to the baseball stadium and they don't know how to get to their own team's stadium...anyhow, he was on his way and i'm sure has crossed the border by now. see ya pal.


an old chevy chevette has shown up in our underground visitor parking and it's filled with crap, like the guy is living in his car. or does most of the time. so awesome.
now 24 scoreless innings.
i ate a couple cherry tomatoes yesterday and just now put a couple in a pasta sauce i cooked up..pretty good stuff. i saw a few more little green tomatoes out there today on the big plant so i'm crossing my fingers...
the garbs and i ate like champs last night at refuel - where we saw the lovely erin shaw and her good pal, name i have forgotten....sorry, as they were sampling the goods there as well...a media dinner of sorts - hopefully she'll give refuel a good review...they looked like they were treating them right.
also...i may have worked for a burger today as i cut the grass of one of the women at refuel...i mean...her boyfriend and she, own a place near katherine and corie's and they needed their front patch done...so i did it today - we'll see what the payoff is...really it took very little time - maybe 15 minutes - so, maybe a dessert.
i had a few of those peppermint patties today - chocolate covered, flat discs...i don't know the brand but super tasty. i'm not sure i could eat many of them in a row, which is really a good thing, but good stuff.
25 scoreless innings. where's lou? with his mom that's where.
bright lights for issy's pal, ruth, who is going in for some surgery tomorrow and has been having a rough time of late.
ok. i'm all full of pasta and all lawned out for the day. nap time soon enough.
26 scoreless.

g. xo

beach and greens

young lovers taking pictures at the beach...

i went to the beach today...ate lunch there, hung out and even laid down and shut my eyes and had a little relax...i haven't down that at kits beach since i did it with kerry nursey - a girl i went to high school with - in 1983, i think...i'm not a beach guy. i like the beach, i like riding by it, being near the water, sitting and looking out at the view, etc...but i don't, generally, stay. at the beach.



today ailsa and fiona and some family friends were heading down there so i rode my bike down there and met-up with them. the beach can be the great equalizer in many ways - i'm pretty lumpy but at the beach, i'm not the lumpiest...close, but not the lumpiest. it was good. there was some swimming - not by me, some kite flying and some good snacks. afterwards i rode over to 'lack of choices' and got a few groceries - it was then i noticed that my front brake had basically fallen off and the fender was falling off as well. nice. gotta get out the wrenches.

this week i'm gonna take out some of the garden and do a re-plant and hope i get a better second crop of goods. i think i may do another trip to the plant auction with marcy - this time katherine may come with me and get some stuff for herself as well.
what the fuck does my upstairs neighbour keep dragging across the floor...?

g. xo

weird orange gimpy pig tail carrots

can the word gimp ever be used anymore? well...i am today because i pulled out one batch of carrots today and they's gimps. all curled around one another and twisted up like pretzels. it will be interesting to see what the others look like when i tug them out. and soon. hopefully they're still tasty...

g. xo

burnin' gas and eatin' beets..

well, eating one beet. a few weeks ago don hoven pulled out a beet in my garden to see where i was at - i told him to do it - and yesterday i pulled out another one to actually eat. not huge but it looked good enough to eat - and it was...fuckin' great. i boiled it and put it in a nice salad with a lot of other goodies...nice action. i should have planted more as i'll be through them in no time but i don't have as much room as others may have to grow lots of what they want...i have a few choice things in small doses. so i'll just make sure i enjoy them....i'm gonna pull up some carrots tomorrow and see what's what.
it was the end of the second week on the new flick and because we don't yet have a driver i am doing all the driving that needs to be done at this point, or at least 85% of it as some of the boys will go on runs if needed...in seven actual working days i have gone through almost three tanks of gas...it's a long way to parts of surrey and then back across the road over to west van....then maybe downtown. there's also a lot of construction on right now which i managed to get stuck in three times today. no biggie i have dan patrick.
tonight we, mishi joined me at the last minute, went out and had dinner with issy at brown's social house in tsawwassen...always great to see issy. she had smuggled some shoes for me from the point and i had a duvet cover to give her for the duvet i gave her last week. a pretty good trade.
more sun has helped the pot and made my tomato plants grow but still no fruit on the plants...i'm crossing my finger but...


my geo thermal pump was making some odd sounds the past while - well months really - and yesterday a tech finally came by for what i thought would be a look-see and then a decision on what would be done but he changed the compressor right then and there - took him under 40 minutes and now it's as it should be - silent. it's actually kinda odd now without the grunting failing compressor sound when it switches on. but nice.

ok. bed soon - lawns tomorrow.

g. xo

2600

it's not easy being green.
it's also not easy being someone who is a little bit grumpy. and sometimes a lot grumpy. but someone who also has a huge heart and does most everything with the best of intentions and, while somewhat of a misanthrope, loves those around him more than he can truly express. if you are called 'friend' by me, you'll know it. you'll know what it means to be my friend and, hopefully, you'll feel what all that means and what it entails. i have an inner circle. if you're in there. you know.
i don't always do the right thing - i didn't the other day - but not on purpose. e.mails have been sent and apologies written and in the end, no one died. no cuts had to be mended.
i'm a hard one to love. i know that. but to those who do, i thank you.
i can be an asshole, give the silent treatment, be distant, judgemental, etc...but for all the bad there's much more good, i think. maybe i'm wrong. but i also know that those around me that i love have many of the same traits and i love them unconditionally.
i'm gonna go cut some grass and think about you. and how much i love you.

g. xo

just look in the dictionary...

...under 'disappointment' and you'll see a picture of me.

once again i made a mess of things without even trying - i am that good at fucking things up.

g.

just.

it's, kinda, official...my garden sucks this year. i took out one of my zucchini plants today and cut a bunch of my swiss chard and froze it for later...the tomatoes are brutal. actually they can't really be brutal if there are none - yet.
i did some gardening this morning, without taking off any more flesh, and it looks better out there but compared to last year, it sucks. even the little flowers and such have failed to add any color this year. unimpressive.
the woman whose lawn i cut for food asked me to cut it today and i was all too happy to do so after the osso bucco she gave me last time - that was worth two cuts. she was home today when i was there cutting and we had a good talk about tacos, and filling for such. where she works they are adding more tacos to the menu and taking away the old taco offerings - i know a couple of people who will be bummed by this but, the new stuff sounds awesome. if they had a beef brisket taco with a nice pico de gallo on top i'd buy that - in a corn tortilla. we both agree that wheat tortillas are bullshit. i met her husband today along with their two little fellas...good kids...
a few other errands were completed today and now i think it's time to have a shower and relaxo.
dinner at katherine and corie's tonight....nice.

g. xo

going to pot.

hot 'tomato' action....

g. xo