Destiny Calling
It was Sean who introduced me to the beautiful game, something for which I'll always be grateful. And since he was an avid Liverpool supporter, by default I ended up one as well. Which seemed fine at the time. But when we split, I couldn't help from feeling that I had just been complacent and decided that perhaps I should make my own objective choice as to which team to support from here on in. (Before I complacently ended up cheering for Chelsea....)
Plenty of nights were spent in smoky London clubs checking out this side and that side. I courted many hopeful teams, I even tried a couple on for size (I watched almost every Charlton match played last fall and I even have a membership with the Arsenal - don't ask...) but all with no firm result - nothing felt like home. But, like boiled perogies, the truth will always surface.
It was about a month ago, when I silently dreaded either Mike or Pat changing the channel even when the match against West Brom was dull as dirt, that I first heard a little voice say:
You know it's true...Then taking the time to read about this year's commemoration of the April 15th Hillsborough Disaster, I heard it again:
You know it's true... Delighting in the decimation of Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.
You know it's true....
Grinning as they named the fantastic StevieG as PFA Player of the Year. Yes, yes. I know it's true. I guess it doesn't really matter in the end how I ended up here. Some things you don't get to choose - where you are born, how you look...or what football team you support.
This Saturday, I will wear red, head to the pub to watch the FA Cup Final, and cheer on probably the best team in the world - my team, Liverpool.
Climbing Up The Walls
So yesterday was a big day for my thesis project. I was to present to 50 teenagers about my project, do an information training and then an open-space session with them. What I got out of the night was to be a major part of my research data.
Needless to say, not a day to lock yourself out of your house all day.
I was just dashing out to Staples to buy some flipchart paper, markers, and tape. Which is why I didn't bother to double back to the house to grab my cell phone I'd forgotten. I wouldn't be long anyway - I still had to make and print my handouts, go over a couple of case studies, and practice my presentation.
Now, the last time I remember being locked out of my house, I recall entertaining myself with the balloon-animal-making kit I'd just bought. Now, my random balloon animal making phase was in 1998, so that would be eight years ago. Eight years without incident. And this had to happen to me again yesterday. Of all days.
Fortunately, I at least had the markers and flipchart paper, so I could do some useful preparation. (Let me tell you, Carol Boothroyd would have sold crack to nuns to have had those flipcharts.) And that neighbour guy who was belting it out to a mix tape of U2, Jeff Buckley and the Doors made my day, he was awesome.
But somewhere into the fifth hour, things weren't so amusing anymore.
And then there I was, way up on top of a ladder, hoping to open and crawl through our upper floor window. Trying to get myself out of another completely ridiculous situation. I couldn't help but start laughing. And I nearly fell off the damn ladder.
Note to self: Sometimes it's important to laugh at ourselves but 15 feet off the ground is not the time.
Delta Dream, Part 1
Every once in a while, I get the feeling that I live in a sort of Brigadoon Shangri-La over here in Delta. 
Exhibit H: Everything-Goes-Garbage-Week.
Apparently, no other municipality does this. I don't understand why, it's positively brilliant. One week a year when the garbage guys will take away anything. Absolutely anything. Washing Machines. Broken Televisions. Machinery. Sports Equipment.
And Couches, lots of Couches. (But we'll get to that in a bit.)
The best part is the few days before the big day. Treasure Days. You see, it's totally kosher to walk around checking to see if there's anything on a lawn that you may want. Walking my dog this evening, I saw tons of people casually walking around the neighbourhood, people driving around picking up extra lawn chairs, leftover plywood. It's the best recycling program ever.
Case in point - the photo to the right. 
I took this picture this morning; by the time I came home today, the oversized teddy and the bikes were gone.
Now, who knows what happened to Teddy. Maybe he was rescued to another home, maybe some kids took him to the park and stuffed firecrackers in his belly....point is, it doesn't matter - he was going to a stinky landfill anyway, and this way, he managed to spread just a little more joy before meeting his final end.
I owe a lot to EGGW - one of my favourite summers ever was due in part to a couch left out by Pete's neighbour that fit perfectly into Warren's truck.
This castoff brought us endless pleasure as we carted it around
to all our adventures (we were like the bloody Cranberries with that thing).
Summer 1998 was the summer of yard parties, the summer of causeway bonfires, the summer of The Couch.
How it is that other municipalities have not caught on to the magic of EGGW I'll never know. Another mysterious legend to add to the Delta Dream...
