Happy Canada Day!
it is you know, a happy day that is.
it is, it is, it is.

   I don't now why or how but this weekend has turned out to be a rather nice one.   Last week was a flurry of everything, so much going on all at one time. so so much.
First off i was in meetings every day that lasted all day, and started early. So i would get to work at 8 a.m. (an hour before normal) and leave at my normal time.  And then Monday through Thurs i had some friends in from Norway.

   I realized something this week. For a couple of weeks i had looked at my apt. and thought that i should clean it.  But each time i would think that i would think, 'nah, it's just too much work, look how dirty it is. i'll just wait until i can't live in such squalor anymore.'  and when i would ask myself if i could live in it, each time i would say, sure, why not and sit down on my couch.  Well, last sunday i get a call from my friends from Norway saying they are in town.  I give some more serious thought to cleaning up at this point but as far as i knew i was going to maybe see them for an evening or something and then they were going to go up the coast before coming back to stay with me for a few days.
   Needless to say, i wasn't considering a full cleaning very seriously. Only a cursory cleaning would be necessary.  Make it look neat and then they couldn't tell it isn't neat.  Then i get a call on Monday evening.  They are staying with me for the next 4 days and will be at my place in 2 hours.  huh?  whoa! 
   In two hours i pretty much managed to clean my apt top to bottom.  I grant it wasn't a toothbrush to tile cleaning but it was everything necessary to make my apt what i consider clean.  2 hours. only.  As i finished up, i wondered to myself, 'what is it exactly that makes me sit back down on the couch each time?' I'm not sure but whatever it is, it isn't very meaningful, i don't think.
   If it weren't for the fact that cleaning just before houseguests seems so incredibly futile to me. I mean, 20 minutes after houseguests arrive, my place is a mess again.  I mean, my place is fairly small and there just aren't neat places to put luggage and stuff so it takes 38 seconds to start the deluge of clutter.  Cleanliness, a thing of the past.  Ah well, i guess it would be worse if it didn't start off clean.

   Anyhow, they left on Thurs and i immediately fell into my pattern of being in love with being alone again.  (sometimes i wonder if i could live with someone.  where would i get my alone time from?)  Friday night, i was thinking of going out.  Instead, i napped.  working early and long each day and then entertaining house guests each evening had really taken something out of me over the 4 days.
   Saturday, i was set to go and check out some free jazz (jazz festival here ya know) with friends and instead, i ended up sitting on some rocks on the beach reading.  That alone time again.  Very glorious it was.  Then dinner, cards and a grand evening.  That sounds cool, doesn't?  the weird part was that i woke up at 8 a.m. and i drowned the entire day until 3:30 doing i don't know what.  I really don't. It just went away.  My not leaving the house.
   Sunday...more of the same.  Until i left the house, went to a movie, dinner and then this concert.  I'm telling you that that concert was something else.  I have trouble even expressing what it was.  I mean, Gavin Bryars is definitely a genius in my mind. His Jazz was a very close wedding of classical and jazz.  and so many strings. It was an orchestra but there were 30 strings, one bassoon and one percussionist.  Heavenly.  And when Holly came out...to add her voice to the spoken word text set to Bryars music, i almost melted. 
   I came home, elated, to find the Norwegians back.  This time, i knew they were coming.  We hung out, talked and took it easy.
Today, we all headed to the beach.  We arrived at the beach before 11 a.m. it was a little cool, but what the hell, they're from Norway.  We went swimming.  It was grand.  I like swimming.  no, i love swimming.  by 1 p.m. we were back at my apt and they were packing and off again.  This time for good.  it had only taken 12 hours this time to drag my need for aloneness up to my top.
   But that was fine. they are gone now. I took off, saw some jazz and wandered through the 30000 people on granville island today. I kid you not, 30 000 on that small, little island.  But i had to go.  I had to go and pick up a stone, for a commission for a necklace i have.  Of course, if the stone i had wanted had been there i would have been happier.  I also picked up the items necessary to make a big, savoury beef stew. Which is driving me insane right now. I have to go and eat.

ummm, bye.