Checkers

Despite my heavy work load I left the office at 4:30 today and made my way home on the bus. I made a note in my notepad about how much leg room I had in my seat, and also noted the fact that I took advantage of it by leaning back in my seat. Combine this with the rolling countryside and the music playing in my ears and I felt like I was a kid in a made-for-TV movie running away from all of his troubles.



But then we reached the end of the line. I strutted off the bus and timed my steps to the music. I was nearly home and feeling good.



To completely relax myself I played a game of checkers (against myself) on my new hand-painted checkerboard with hand-formed glass pieces. As you can probably tell from the photo it is a very expensive item and there’s no way anyone who was taking a month off of work could buy it for me. I won the game, in the configuration shown, which only lifted my spirits more.



This weekend: Friday, drive in to Kingston with Adam. I hadn’t seen him in at least a week because of his insane workload at school. Dinner at Frankie Pesto’s Italian Eatery, which was very happening. Even though we didn’t have reservations I was okay. Great company and great food–I had the pork tenderloin special. Blogs were discussed.



Saturday, breakfast with B-rad. I felt rushed by the waitress to place my order so I rode Brad’s coattails and ordered the same thing he did. Though I had no major complaints about the food the feature was obviously the conversation. It was very nice to see Bradley and great to hear about his upcoming second round of law interviews.



But that wouldn’t be the last time I saw Brad this weekend. After I returned home for a quiet afternoon I met with Dot and we drove to Brad’s house where the three of us made a strategic decision to not meet MK at some guy’s house but rather to spend time at the Law house before going to a place called “Philthy McNasty’s”. Some foosball was played at the house (Brad destroyed me), followed by some Hot Shots Golf (same), and some CBC Radio 3.



I wrote the following in my notebook: “I was on the verge of tears as we arrived at Philthy McNasty’s as I was sure we wouldn’t have a decent table…but we do, and relief washes over me in an awesome wave.”



Dot and her Katie secured a solid table in the overly-loud room while the gentlemen played some foosball. When I joined the group at the table (brining the Skittles that Dot had left in the car) I brought out the notepad and started using it to communicate with the group. Some quality notes (mostly not by me):

• I don’t remember how it ends but your mother’s a whore.
• P.S. I think a giraffe’s neck is too long.
• The D.J. told me I should wear headphones if I didn’t like his music.
  
       I wish I had headphones.
• “I think I got a little bit of it in my mouth,” overheard being said by a cougar on Princess St.
• Do you have an extra shirken I could borrow?
• Murder the DJ
  
  Smash his brain into pieces
  
  Then go watch TV
• RMC cadet = white men can’t dance

Sunday started with usual faire, though in a different city, and involved a good visit with Mum (today’s her birthday). We went for dinner for her birthday and she chose the General Wolfe. I made a 6:30 res and we caught the 6:00 p.m. ferry over to the island.



The restaurant was fairly dead, which was neither a good nor a bad thing. As usual it was quite funny to be out with my mum, as eating out is not her usual style. Particularly funny was the look on her face when the waitress brought out a scoop of sherbert for Harold after his caesar salad.



Mum was wearing an autumn coloured wool sweater and a pair of black slacks, both of which I couldn’t tell who they were by. My brother was wearing a criss-cross patterned, short-sleeved shirt and pleated, beige pants, both by Denver Hayes with a black belt and brown shoes by Dockers. Harold was wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt by Retreat with some green-beige pants by Haggar and black shoes that I couldn’t make out. I was wearing a striped Nautica shirt under a black cashmere sweater by Jones New York with a pair of brown cords by Perry Ellis, brown leather belt, also by Jones New York, a pair of sneakers by Sketchers, and a taupe, linen sport-coat by Stafford.



For dinner Mum had the poached salmon, which was the fish of the day. Harold (who had started with the caesar salad) had the rainbow trout. My brother and I both started with the butternut squash soup, though he didn’t care for it; he had the filet mignon and I the scallops. Both my brother and I finished with the cheesecake, while Harold and Mum were both much too full.



We had a very enjoyable ferry ride back to the mainland (at 8:30 p.m.) which was made better by the knowledge that my train (which was supposed to leave Kingston at 9:09 p.m.) was late, thus providing me with a worry-free drive across town. I heard a song by Whitney Houston on the radio while we were still docked on Wolfe Island and I enjoyed every minute of it.



Adam and I shared a wonderful train ride back, even if it was a bit late, and I was quick to head to bed after getting home. As I mentioned before, the mess I left that night still sits in my entranceway but I plan to rectify that as soon as I post this entry. Which is right now.