Occasional musings from a Left-coast Canadian ExPat in Oxford.
I suppose I said I’d share the details of the trip, and fast-fading as they are, now is as good a time as any. However I am still tired from the jetlag, further compounded by some various and sundry other illnesses that I picked up on the plane. So a brief summary will have to … Continue reading Trip recap
Safe and sound, and busy! Things improved vastly after my online hissyfit, and pictures and stories will be up sometime tonight – if the giant mountain of laundry doesn’t eat me first. Continue reading Home Again Home Again
So we’re sitting at an internet cafe in London, because so far, the city kindof hates me. We asked the friendly concierge(s) at our Oxford hotel and the Oxford-London bus guy where to get off to get the tube to Paddington station. They sent us about 8 tube stations too far away, when the bus … Continue reading London Calling
I am frightfully hungover today. So random sentences will have to suffice. Oxford is old and beautiful. Our hotel has a tiny, crazy lift and when we took it, the desk man said “it looks old, but it’s very reliable – best you can get for a 14th century building!” Being from the City of … Continue reading Notes on Oxford So Far
We arrived safe and sound after a typical but still traumatizing plane ride. I still hate flying for more than 3 hours. Also, people from the plane I’d like to offer a giant middle finger to: Guy who couldn’t get up without using the back of my seat to heft himself out of his chair. … Continue reading It’s all about the destination; the journey sucks.
While I’m furiously trying to get all those “last minute” things onto a list so I don’t forget to throw them in my suitcase tonight before heading to Jolly Old England tomorrow, there’s one thing I’m going to seriously try NOT to leave room for on my way back: extra weight on my person. I’m … Continue reading Packin’
No, not the fitness blitz that Neil and I started. This is an entirely different regimen. I realized last Friday night that I am completely and utterly ill prepared for a trip to the UK. I have completely and utterly lost any and all ability to hold my liquor. I thought the Cinco de Mayo … Continue reading In Training
I was about to leave the house this morning, when my home phone rang. It rarely does this (since the only folks who have it are telemarketers), and even more rare is it ringing in the morning. So I answered. On the other end of the line was a gentelman from my bank, Coast Capital … Continue reading Violated!
Some of you have probably heard over the past couple days that a village was uncovered near one of the seven wonders of the world, Stonehenge. That’s so cool, I think I’ll go visit it. Ok, so the decision wasn’t exactly that easy, and didn’t have anything to do with Stonehenge. But I am going … Continue reading London Calling
Oh my hell. I love snowboarding, I really do – what I don’t love are the typical injuries that come along with it. I know most snow sports are inherently dangerous, and to date I’ve still hurt myself far worse skiing than I ever have snowboarding. But Sunday I took a tumble, and my poor … Continue reading Coc’d Up
Snow awesomeness: skiing & boarding! Snowball fights! Snow days from work! Snow not-so-awesomeness: the cold! The bad drivers! The endless slushy muck! did I mention the cold?!? Holy hell Batman, there’s a reason I don’t live in Toronto, or Edmonton, or Montreal, or Juneau. This perpetual blizzardiness can just feel free to fuck right off … Continue reading Brr
What had me so tired yesterday? A few hours of playing in the snow. Especially a few hours in the snow, trying to keep up with this crazy beastiie who LOVES the white powder, and acts every inch the crackhead when she gets to run around in it. Check out the entire set on flickr. Continue reading Romp
Outside the Thai House, next to Spence Diamonds this afternoon: Dude 1: smoking on the stairs between the Thai House and Spence Dude 2: runs out of Spence to put money in his meter Dude 1: You know, Spence has free parking in the back… Dude 2: (shrugs) Ah well, too late now. Dude 1: … Continue reading Overheard
One of my favourite memories from being in Korea was once when we were talking with some of the soldiers (all in their 20s) about dating, etc. On one of the bases in Seoul is a statue of a Korean soldier who died for his company when he leapt on an active grenade. When the … Continue reading Taking one for the Team
Those who know me at all know that I am not what you’d call “kid friendly.” I’ve been known to make small children cry just by looking at them, and I wish I were exaggerating even a little bit about that. So it was with only a little apprehension that I went over to Neil’s … Continue reading Louis Louis, oh no, we gotta go