not making any pals

i had heard through the grapevine that trevor bird, the owner of Fable on west fourth - in the old Refuel location, had made some comments on his blog regarding the state of the kitchen at refuel, or rather what he was left to contend with...and he called out the former cooks there and that he would be embarrassed to work in such a dirty kitchen.
oh my.
he was taken to task on this by a local writer and to call out rob and jane...hhmm.
maybe i won't be getting old trevor to make me a burger. i think trevor may need an internal editor and may need to figure out that vancouver is a small town and he should keep his mouth shut until such time as he's actually got a successful joint going and he's more than just a TV star.
just sayin'.
you can see his blog here.

g. xo

perfect day for...

...well, not a lot.
there was a break in the rain yesterday and i may have been able to get one or two cut but the sofa took over and after all the waiting and bullshit, i had to get that thing home...and now, it's back to rain and may be like this for a few days. so, i'll try and cut a few in the rain, just to try and get some done, but it could be a shut-out.
bummer.
a little later today i'll be taking fiona to see her first ever movie set - it think she's pretty excited by that, especially since she knows the books that the film is based on. if i was nine i'd think that was pretty cool.
ok....i need to figure out this morning...

g. xo

honey i'm home.

well it finally happened.
i have a new sofa and it's not defective, the fabric is beautiful and the sewing is great. yup. i have a sofa after not having one since approx. the middle of feb. and it's nice to finally be sitting on something that's mine and not some old leather couch that smells like smoke and hurts my ass.

a huge thank you to my pal simon who came to my rescue today and helped me get the leather couch back to fullhouse so i could make room for the new sofa from bombast. i found out at around noon today that my new sofa would be ready for pick-up around 3:30 pm and once i knew that i was on it...and after simon hit the road i went and got the garbs and he helped me get it home and into place.

it looks good. i'm happy.

thanks garbs and simon for helping today. thanks to garvie for helping pick the fabric. and thanks to fullhouse for lending me a sofa in the interim even though i didn't buy a sofa from them in the end. good times. come on over and give it a trial run.

g. xo

fuck.

a few days ago i told you that someone had broken into my storage locker and, initially i couldn't see anything gone or think of anything...
now i know what's missing. what they took.
my hockey sticks. all my sticks. three game used sticks and four brand new sticks that had never been used.
now they're gone. seven hundred-ish bucks down the shitter.
those dirty fucks.

thanks.

g.

galaxy pants and boy bo derek.

it was a day.
the rain kinda screwed with me early on but i was not going to be denied my rounds. nope. i had a new client that needed work and today was the first cut and i had to get it done. she's an older woman who was, seemingly, concerned about when i'd be there, how much it would cost, if i'd sign a form that would get her reimbursed, etc...so i wanted to make sure she had no reason to doubt me. and then the race was on. and today the race included a little something extra. and really not little at all. i am cutting the lawn of a pal of mine and she and her husband have a raccoon issue. well, maybe it's not an issue but the 'treats' they leave on the lawn are. these 'treats' are huge. so much so that my gag reflex - more in my head than anything - goes into overdrive. i got close and had a look and all of a sudden my mind took over. i was hacking and coughing and had a little in my throat and...oh god it was terrible. a neighbour who had come out to get her paper had a look over to see what the hell was going on and then scampered back inside. i don't blame her at all. but i've got to say, if i had that kind of problem i'd be perched out on the porch with a can of bear spray and a air rifle - just enough to let them know i'd had enough of the 'treats' and maybe they'd go visit the neighbours instead. i have a poo policy in that i will cut around them but these things are too big to ignore or cut around -  a shovel is the only tool that helps.
ok...
as i was pulling up i saw my pal kathy running by and looking like she wished she was closer to home...i can't blame her with the weather today...and so it was a five lawn day...nice.

i've seen a few things in the last few days..and let me point out before i go on that i know i am no fashion plate but, i think i know some of the rules or boundaries...i saw a couple of white dudes the other day walking down the street both with haircuts from the movie '10'...they were sporting bo derek inspired cornrows...what the hell? hi i'd like a taco and btw i'm venus williams. and then today i saw this woman walking down robson - vancouver's runway - apparently - wearing what looked like very loose pajamas that had the print of the nightsky on them - the night sky as portrayed on the side of a boogie van circa 1979. black with the stars and the moon and all the swirling cosmos...good stuff.
and if robson is vancouver's runway, i'd say davie street is home to vancouver's runaways...or at least the place to look for kids and their dogs. the night we went for burgers with don it was like a squeegee kid convention on davie.
bought myself an ironing board today. yes i did. and a nail and finger brush. living large. and i'm all a twitter with the start of my course at langara saturday that will be followed by a lawn or two and then a bombers match against the anteaters...them guys is good.
the latest napa auto parts commercial uses a van just like the coolerator...i miss the coolerator. in fact, i saw another lawn cutter today and all he had was a van and i was a little jealous. peace coolerator.
and i have had and still have my problems with the no-frills grocery downstairs but sometimes i do go in there and see what's what - they're having some sort of dollar sale right now and one of the things is cans of soup - that habitant or whatever brand - the bigger cans, for 97 cents...wtf? i bought a couple, i'm not gonna lie. and a couple cans of creamed corn - two for a buck.
i'm cooking a tomato sauce tonight. a recipe that was given to me by one of my lawn clients that is a chef and cooks some mean grub. it's smells pretty good in here. i asked her for a simple yet great sauce recipe and she sent me one and i'm giving it a go...if you'd like it let me know...

ok. relaxo.

g. xo

Happy birthday Larry

His birthday was probably last year as the new models come out before the actual new year but, 2012 would be, just counting years, Larry's 50th! Happy birthday Larry!

g. xo

early girl.

yesterday was errand day - trip to the shop to clean the interior of my car, stop in at bosa, metal purchase at the supermarkets and a little how do you do at standard building - and i got to be senor fix-it at garvie's place. i was gonna cut yesterday but the morning was a shitshow of rain and wind and in the afternoon i was home and got into cleaning my mess of a house so, i was in for the night. fuck it. i was happy to clean and eat my pork stew thing i had made. i'll cut today - rain or shine.

ailsa had shown me that her shower volume/water handle and diverter (all in one unit) had become loose and wasn't diverting water and needed to be fixed but it was kinda confusing as to how it all came apart...but after some interwebbing and chat with a salesperson at the place where she bought the fixture, i was good to go and once apart it was a quick fix - sometimes it's not clear how it all comes apart. now i know so if you need a shower fixed...

the garden is doing well including a new mary-jane clone one of my bomber brethren gave me about a month ago. it was touch and go for the first week or so but it now seems to be digging in and looks like it will make its way. and i was also surprised to see a small bit of fruit on one of my tomato plants - i'm sure it's a freak but still a good sign after last year's late start.
ok. i'm out to cut...have a great tuesday.

g. xo

up and at 'em...the grass keeps growing.

holy cow.
i'm a little behind in my cutting due to a couple days on set so this morning i was up early, after getting home around 1 a.m. from work, and cutting the dog lawn just after 8 a.m. wowzers! i killed the dog lawn today - some days i just make a meal of that thing and today was one - i knew i had to boogie as i had a bunch more in line, including one in southlands that was 1/2 an acre and long, long, long.

 

 a friend of mine, erin, it's her parent's place and their mower died and such so...call lawn order. i saw it the other day but once i got to it today - around 11:15 am...i saw that i had my work cut out for me. and just short of four hours later i was finally driving away to my next lawn - judy's place...holy crap i don't think i've ever shed as much sweat as i did today cutting. i am beat and need a little relax before i head over to ailsa's and then off to dinner...i have three more that need attention but sunday and/or monday i can get them done and then i'm all caught up. i'll just put them in with sunday and monday's action.

 

ok. more later. i need to drink some water and have a long hot shower. i think i'm gonna stoke up larry too. he needs to get out.

g. xo

For those keeping score at home

Some of you may be familiar with the sofa saga. Some not. For those who don't...in a nutshell I ordered a very nice sofa that took almost eight weeks to get here and then was shit so I had to return it.
I then found a new sofa locally that I ordered before I went to NYC. I still do not have that sofa either, I am still sitting on a loaner leather sofa.
It has been six plus weeks since I ordered it, I was told that it would be around six weeks. Ok. Cool.
The problem is that I have not been able to get to the store where I ordered it from but have sent numerous emails and only one was replied to. And it said that they had just heard that the fabric for the sofa had shipped that day, this was twenty days after I had picked the fabric. Wtf?
And now three other emails have not been returned as to when it may be ready. The emails were hot and heavy before the money was in their hands, 50 percent up front...but now communication breakdown.
Nice.
Tomorrow there will be a visit to the store in person. I'm just curious.

g. xo

mikki and me.

this is mikki bang. yes. mikki bang. i have known mikki for a long time. he and kurt jackson were some of the first people i worked with over and over and made me believe that film was, indeed, a place for misfits. talented misfits. but misfits none the less.

mikki lives in kelowna now on what sounds more like a compound than a house. he has somehow been allowed to reproduce and now has two little boys he is super proud of. mikki is the kinda guy who has over a dozen vehicles, a couple of boats, atv's, ride 'em lawn mowers, all of it. mikki is living it full throttle and is full of life and has a huge heart. i believe that. the boys on set call him the garden gnome. awesome. i love working with mikki. it's good to see him again.

i got home around 10 last night went to bed and after an errand this morning and then four lawns i am on my way back out there, langley, again pretty soon. it'll be a late night but i'll be with mikki and the boys - mike splatt, brad and jay...all good guys so i'm lucky to have had a couple days work with this lot.
ok. have fun today. see ya on the slopes.

g. xo

twisted and broken.

oh, i forgot to mention that someone decided to try and get into my storage locker downstairs. nice. and only mine. the others - because you can see into them - have far more interesting things inside than mine...i don't think anything is missing but i haven't looked very hard. my hockey stuff was upstairs and really there's nothing there to steal of any real value....but now i need a new hasp put on. good times.

g. xo

basil and bellingham

and how does my garden grow...pretty good i'd say. things are growing for sure, no fruit or anything to eat yet, duh, but still i like going out there each morning and watering - not that i've had to do that the last few days - and see what's happening. good stuff.

 

 mishi and i went to bellingham yesterday to get a load of trader joe's goods and hit the usual spots. we were only there for a little bit as we had to be back in vancouver by four so we could get the plants marcy had gotten for mishi's co-op - very nice of marcy...helping even more people get their garden growing.

we had decided to try another mexican joint we or rather i, had heard about - taco lobo. i had seen it many times before but it, for various reasons, had scared me off. yesterday was the day to try it out. and now we know. not so good. the menu is great, they have a good lookin' salsa bar, nice, nice...but the food is just kinda...um, gringo. and we're gringos but we'll leave that place to the other gringos. gotta go to find out...

after a quick trip to trader joe's - where we ran into pal/realtor juliete nicol who had been down riding her bike with pals and stocking up on local micro brews - and a nip into bellis fair - someone's birthday is coming up...we were on our way back to town..nice having bellingham so close...

today was a few lawns, wet lawns, lawn order billing, bank action, ran into joel in west van at the whole foods and he had some film work news, kinda...more on that as it develops. in that vein i am going to be working in langley tomorrow and friday on a show corie, scott and andrew are currently on - i don't think i'll see any of them though. and also today, i enrolled in a course at langara campus that will be the first step to a something else. or rather something that can be used in addition to what i do...exciting. at 48 i'll be a student. i wonder if issy will pack me a lunchbox.
ok...relaxo.

g. xo

older. wiser? maybe not.

the last two days have reminded many of us that summer is not yet here - one month away..start counting. the may long weekend toys with us every year. and every year, more often than not, it rains at some point and ruins the whole thing. now, i should point out that i actually have no expectations around this long weekend as i'm not, currently, working on a show and don't have a real job so, every weekend is a long weekend. in fact, every week is a long week - some longer than others. sadly.
and it is now and at times like this that i reconsider my life in film. for those who don't know, i worked on set in film for a long time but then moved into a more managerial role and have been landlocked there for a long time. it's fine, and good but the problem with getting pigeonholed is just that, people don't offer you work that you once did because many of them have no idea you ever did it. so, while others are off working on other projects, i am not. and truthfully, i have been working when lots of them have not been so the pendulum is just swinging the other way at present. but it doesn't stop me from being alone in my days and wondering if it is time to move on. i love cutting grass and it brings me solice of sorts but i like working. it gives me purpose. i am not happy with extended time off, especially when there are no lawns to cut.
i have been known to cruise the city of vancouver web site looking at positions that are up my alley and available. lately the coast mountain bus lines site has as well. driving a bus, what's wrong with that? not much that i can see...oh sure, i could get beat up but...somehow that doesn't deter my interest. i have also looked into a few courses at vcc and elsewhere that could take me into my retirement years. the one thing i have looked into as well is another position in film, one that i'm not ready to discuss as of yet but have been meeting with a person who could, maybe, help me in that. think shadowing if you will. i have told a couple friends about it but no more than that, it's too early. it may never happen.
but suffice to say i am hating the rain and as someone who suffers, off and on, with SAD. so be it. the rain will clear and there will be lawns to cut and courses to take - i have to get on that, i have to admit i have been hesitant to go and talk to counsellors about it. garvie is right though, i need to get on that now that i have time.
ok.
i've been reading a great book on the origins of texas bbq that ailsa bought me...makes you wanna buy a smoker and set up shop...unlikely but it does make ones mind wander and mouth water.

g. xo

"gimme three days notice...

...and i'll make you a fuckin' burger..."
those were the words said to me by new restaurant owner, trevor bird, who has just opened up Fable in the old refuel location. 'he who can not be named on the blog' and i were walking by today and stopped to look at the menu posted in the window. as we were having a looksee trevor came out and introduced himself and learned quickly about my love for refuel and my love of the burger and how it being taken away from me made me feel. it was then that trevor offered to make me a burger, it was actually like a demand to make me a burger. i told him he didn't need to make me one but after having 'he who can not be named on the blog' tell me i should take him up on his offer...i'm having second thoughts about dismissing his offer. so, very soon i am going to go in there and tell him that the garbs and i are coming to visit and that he should get the meat grinder working.
i have to say, when i found out refuel was closing and that he was opening in their space, i didn't like him solely on that...but after my meeting with him today i think he may be ok but the proof will be in the pudding, or in this case, the burger. i forgot to mention we missed the margaritas as well. next time.

today's action also included me, kinda, coming to the rescue of fiona and garvie who were at the ferry trying to get to bowen island to visit her pal. the sailings were sold out and there was no parking around even if they wanted to walk on so...i made a call and made sure it was ok for them to park at my pal yvonne's - who is also a lawn order client - and we were all set. i went to horseshoe bay, met them and got 'em parked very close by and then back to the ferry. and away they went. all good. they'll come back tomorrow in time for burgers here...
so it was a full day. breakfast at helen's, cut a few lawns, parking agent, a visit at the pickle, trevor offering to make me a burger, picked up katherine and jasper at the airport, pizza with 'he who can not be named on the blog'....pretty good.
now a little relax.
night night.

g. xo

birthday at the track - marcy-style!

this lovely saturday morning i would like to wish ms. marcy a happy birthday! she'll be watching the ponies at hastings track (or is it exibition park) today, picking winners in the trifecta and pick two and four thingy and other things i know nothing about...good luck marcy and happy birthday!

g. xo

i got nothin'...

..except a sore back. really sore today. not like it was a few years back and at a few other times, but still fuckin' sore. i got to lawn four today and i was moving in slow motion. one of the great things about cutting in richmond - i have to lawns there now - is that i can work it so i can make my way to the que pasa deli for lunch, which i did today. i love that place. a great lunch, quick, made with love. or at least great salsas.
after yesterdays eating all over town, i am going to stay put and relax at home tonight and rest my back - more lawns tomorrow.

have fun tonight.

g. xo

tour de spike.

spike was, and still is, in town for a few days and i saw her yesterday for a bit. we were originally going to go for breakfast today but she had some spare time yesterday so we made the rounds yesterday afternoon.

i had been cutting and needed some lunch so i grabbed her down in the west end - she is staying at the sylvia hotel (fancy) - and we went and tried another food truck down near coal harbor - feastro. it was pretty good but as i have noticed with the trucks in vancouver, they're not cheap. my food truck education started many moons ago near chico, california with tacos out of a truck near a grocery store. and they were a few bucks, not at feastro.

spike had a eight dollar smoked salmon taco and i had a prawn salad thingy that was delicious but 13 bucks and pretty small...and, in a weird twist, the guy who owns the feastro truck, paul fenton, is a guy i went to school with on vancouver island thirty years ago...it was nice to sit and talk to spike and have some food.
renee, spike, is also pals with mishi so after a coffee we drove down to see mishi and had a little visit there. mishi has stayed at spike's parents place in tucson, as i have in the past, so it was nice for them to see each other and catch up.
i needed to do some lawn mower maintenance and spike was going to the east side to have dinner so on my way to the shop i dropped her on commercial drive so she could soak up some hippie and i carried on to the shop to sharpen blades and change spark plugs. great to see her, her trips here are few and far between and usually just a couple of days and work related so there's always just a few hours to see each other. nice.
i had great plans to eat at home but after working at the shop for a hour and a half ended up meeting up with 'he who can not be named on the blog' for tacos at la taqueria. so at least it wasn't a big ticket dinner and i got to be entertained and educated by 'he who can not...' and eat great tacos...that's the ticket.
i had sent an email earlier in the day to my good pal and bomber hockey brother, blair, about how it was shitty he had been ejected from the game the night before and how, because he was thinking about quitting, i needed him to be there, etc...and how maybe a margarita would be good for him...and so, at the end of my dinner with 'he who can not be named on the blog', blair phoned and said he was up for a marg. ok. good. so i went and got him and the love of his life, ji, and away we went for a drink at fat dragon. well, they ate, i had a drink...it was good. i don't think i changed his mind, in fact i didn't try to - he'll make that choice for himself and i understand his frustration with that league and it's refs - but i do think a little R and R at fat dragon was good for his soul, and mine. he's a good man that blair.
then it was time for me to get home, have a little relax and go to bed. which i did.
it's a five lawn day. here i go.

g. xo

happy birthday garbs!

i love the garbs.
i really do.
and today is his birthday and i couldn't be happier to say to him, happy birthday pal! i look forward to buying you a juicy burger and margarita very soon.
have a great day garbis!

g. xo

pass it on.

one day, a few years ago, craig came into the dressing room wearing the jacket pictured above - i had seen him wear it a couple times before but had never said anything. not this time, i told him right there and then that i loved it. and right then and there he gave it to me. i was stunned but i really shouldn't have been as craig is one of the most generous people i know. fuck it, he's just plain awesome. and he was giving me something he knew i would love and it was something he had been given by someone else - his friend simon.
now it's my turn to pass it on. and so you know this thing is baggy on me. i love it still but i haven't wore it for a while and i want someone else to love it as much as craig and i have. maybe it's you who needs a new jacket.
let me know. you know how to find me.

g. xo

grilled.

'he who can not be named on the blog' made a suggestion yesterday, after my report of the tacofino taco truck, that we should try the grilled cheese truck that parks in front of the art gallery each day. sure why not? cheese isn't the great friend it used to be to me but i still love it so...i had to meet garvie downtown to do a little birthday shopping for fiona's gift so i went early and waited for 'he who can not be named on the blog' near the cheese truck. it was a scene. i never thought so many people would line-up for a grilled cheese sandwich. but they do. lots of them. and it takes a long time to get the grub once you've ordered it - like twenty or more minutes. i'd have to think that if i worked downtown and had an hour for lunch i would be hard pressed to think i would want to wait that long for a sandwich, or a taco...but that's just me...

and the grilled cheese was...well, i thought that if i was probably only going to go there once, maybe twice, i may as well go for the gold and try the big number and see how it was. i had the meatloaf grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough. pretty good but too much for lunch. i think i should have put half of it in a wrapper and taken it for later. but reasonable tasty and 'he who can not be named on the blog' had a double cheese - cheddar and swiss - on sourdough. he seemed to like it.
what truck is next?
tonight bomber's hockey...late night style. good times.

g. xo

might be carrots

i do know exactly what i planted, but i forgot to mark the rows with a little sign - something i know katherine does in her garden so she knows what's coming up...i just have to guess. today's poke-throughs i believe are carrots but could very well be onions...all the rows have things coming up and i know the beets for sure but the others i'll have to wait a little longer to know for sure. pretty exciting.

i'm most stoked about the beets as they are a variety that have a lot of striping to them and i love beets in general. i did a little tree trimming this morning as well. the japanese maple that i have was in desperate need of a haircut so today was the day, now it looks like someone actually cares. that's me.

yesterday, after months and months of trying or at least going by a few times and being shut-out, i had a snack at the tacofino taco truck. in fact, the first food truck i have tried in vancouver. i had heard so much about the fish tacos - baja style - that i had to give them a go. while i didn't hate it, it just wasn't the amazing taco i had been lead to believe it would be...it was ok. i'd eat one again but not if la taqueria was less than a few blocks away. the fish taco at la taqueria is better action. plus you get a selection of salsas to go along with it and it's a buck less - not that i'm cheap, i'm just sayin. i am going to go back and give their pork burrito a go and see what's up there.
after my taco i met-up with the fawnz at the art gallery for an after work, her after work, drink and catch-up. i hadn't seen her in quite a while and it was great to just sit and chat and have a few laughs...and when i left i got to see the tail end of of a shoplifting scene where a guy has stolen some shoes from sears and was tackled in front of the art gallery on the howe street side. good action.
then i went and got groceries. i love my bike for that. the basket fits two bags perfectly.
ok...have a great wednesday.

g. xo

belated happy K!

i sent a mother's day wish via text to katherine in the morning yesterday - her first as mother to jasper lee - but totally zoned out that it was her birthday as well...i should really have remembered and there are a few of us born around the same time - me, the garbs, marcy, my grannie...and knew hers was next...
so it is with one of my huge, sausage fingered hands held high to say i'm sorry i forgot that i wish katherine fraser a very happy (belated) birthday...i hope corie baked you a cake.

g. xo

beets and housewives.

i made it. i made it to the end of desperate housewives. i know, i know...i blame it on the queen of the universe, jennifer, she lent me dvd's of the first two seasons many years ago and got me hooked. the last two seasons were complete crap and last night was the series finale and i made it through the two hour wrap up. a wrap up so loose and full of holes and...that it made fonzie's shark jump look like well thought out story...well, maybe not that bad..but bad. but i am free. sure it's the housewives, it's ridiculous, etc...but mark cherry said he had it all planned out since the series started...i call bullshit - for anyone who watched it you know what i'm talking about, though i'm sure none of you did...
ok...that's done.

the beets are coming up! the beets are coming up? now this is good news. i planted a very strange looking, or cool looking, beet this year and i really hope it goes the distance. two days ago i finally saw the first sign of life and was giddy like a little boy seeing his first bike - or something like that. pretty cool.
ok...secret meeting this morning - i'm trying to learn a new skill - and then lawns this afternoon...

have fun today...

g. xo

issy.

for what mom's put up with over the course of having kids in their lives, shit, every day should really be mother's day...
issy did her share of putting up with me to be sure. and now that were far on the other side of my younger days...things are awesome. issy is the best mom. ever. why? she just is. the list would be too long...
i went out to tsawwassen today and we had a very nice lunch at the rose and crown pub, fixed a couple things around her house, had a few laughs...it was great.
i love you issy.
also a big happy mother's day to dorothy brown and, my love, ailsa brown...a coupe of great women in their own right.
and i would be remiss if i didn't also welcome a few new mom's to the mother's day club...katherine fraser (who celebrates a birthday today as well...), jen with one N, mina shum (not a new member but close...), jessica zallen - out of the gate with twins - tara mascara and diana of brooklyn.
i hope you all had great days with your sons and daughters.

g. xo

six bags full...of grass, prawns and meatballs

i thought a client's lawn down near the vancouver rowing club was long and outta hand but today's, and no names, lawn was a doozie. some of the grass was a foot high and most at least seven or eight inches...it was a workout for sure - so i guess that's one good way to look at it. i'm glad i had some bags with me as the greens bin was full quickly.
i am beat. all the lawns today were in need and i went through a lot of bags keeping it all sorted. west van was a treat, as usual...my client there, let's call her elizabeth (because that's her name..) is a chef and pays me in food - soon to be gift cards from a joint i/we like so that's good too...and today's pay was a couple pounds of spot prawns, mexican meatball soup and a fruit preserve. nice. as she said, a little mixed up but all tasty stuff. 'ken rights i'm sure it is.
tomorrow dog lawn plus a few more...go lawn order. thoughts of new shirts have danced in my head.
tonight garvie is taking me somewhere for dinner. i say somewhere because i don't know where - it's my birthday dinner with just us...exciting. i have tried to guess but stopped and am sure it will be awesome...

ok. i need to relaxo a little before dinner...have fun.

g. xo

good shit.

just because.

i like this stuff.

an alarm clock/phone charger...i want it. get it here.

 who doesn't want to make a gun out of lego?...

g. xo

bull buys burgers...

don bull, well aware of the garbs' and my search for a new burger joint, mentioned a few weeks back that he'd like to take us for a burger at his favorite place for such - he was sure they didn't have margaritas but we were ok with that...can't have everything.

his burger place of choice is la brasserie on davie street. a small french/german restaurant located basically at the corner of davie and thurlow. the burgers come piled high with thin deep fried onions and lettuce and are cooked to order - something we like...medium rare please.

survey says....i liked it but if i was to have it again i think i would forgo the onions, or at least as many of them so i could concentrate on the meat...cooked very nicely though and the service there is very good. thanks don bull!
ok...i've gotta get out of here and go do some work on my trailer and do some lawn order billing...
have a great wednesday!

g. xo

tango.

my pal Libby in LA posted some sad news today - her dog Tango has gone to the big doghouse in the sky. i met Tango many times - aka Linda Blair aka Rancho Cucamonga - both in LA and Seattle when Libby lived there...Tango was awesome. 
go Tango! go!

g. xo

you're fired.

last night ailsa made a very nice dinner for us - me, issy and fiona - at her place...steaks, asparagus, baked potatoes, salad...(all things i had asked for on my birthday so it was great...) also great was issy bringing over a bag of goodies designed to aid in the making and having of a great bbq - sauces, dressings, ingredients for tacos, steaks, tequila for margaritas, etc...pretty cool...she also brought a cake for us - so all in all a pretty good night of food! and on the food theme, ailsa bought me a gift certificate at the dirty apron, a cooking school on beatty street...my course is in knife skills, something i can surely use..so that's exciting.
i decided to ride my bike over last night instead of driving because it was such a nice day which meant i would be riding home this morning. so i thought on my way home that i'd ride by one of my client's lawns to see if i, indeed, needed to go by today or tomorrow and give it a go - they're on a ten day to two week cycle and it was about time to have a look...well, what i saw was that i had been replaced. lol...the lawn had been aerated, cut, etc...looked good. just not by me. i sent an email this morning and asked what was up and sindi, my pal in the complex, said she didn't find out until yesterday that they, the strata, had decided that they wanted someone to do it all - the trees, grass, gardens, etc...oh well...one less lawn. all good - just would have been nice to know before i went by.
with that it gives me more time today to be domestic here. cleaning, sorting, etc...

have fun today.

g. xo

the best part ever...

the best part of the bombers game today was when ben, my bomber team mate, told me to get my head out of my ass...i guess i wasn't playing up to his standard.
we had eight guys, they had a full squad and we young and fast - i am not, but i was doing the best i could - but i was gassed by middle of the third period when he chose to tell me this.
so happy fucking birthday to me. i get to be told by someone approx. twenty years younger that i suck. thanks ben for the best present ever.

g. xo

may showers bring...

today was the annual planting day on my deck...tomatoes, zucchini -two types, onions, beets, carrots, etc...plus some nice grasses and begonias... sure. and as with the last two years ailsa and fiona came over and lent a hand, or hands, to the cause. it all looks pretty good - the proof, of course, will be in the pudding, or growing and if it grows. the weather held out for us today as well, as you probably saw as well if you were out there today.

 

i am going to do a few more things here and then head off to bombers hockey...not too many playing today against a tough team...could be bad. but it can only be bad for 60 minutes...
and then dinner at garvie's tonight with issy joining us...nice!

have fun.

g. xo