Can You Hear Me Now?

Okay, here we go, longest entry ever. LOTS of pictures! I had the most amazing weekend, which could have been even better if I hadn’t missed about 6 hours of hanging out with everybody because of my intolerance to heat It reached about 35°C on Sunday and that sucks for me! However, aside from that, I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend or greater people to spend it with.

I arrived at the airport around noon, checked where the band’s flight was arriving from, and took a seat near that gate. I TM’d Rob to let him know I was there and where I was. He wrote back that he was in the rental car line-up and would be down to meet us as soon as he could.

I saw a bunch of people wandering by the luggage carousel, so I figured the flight had arrived and wandered to that area, pushing my wheelchair that was loaded with a couple of my bags and stuff. The first person I saw was Scott, who was peering at me as he got closer. I think I “eeeked!” or something as I gave him a hug, it was so great to finally meet in person. Next I met Alex, who is adorable, followed by Adam who is just a teddy bear of a man, and whose muscles would come in handy when pushing me in my wheelchair all over what turned out to be VERY rough terrain at the outdoor festival. (Mine was the only wheelchair there I believe, and I can understand why!)

Anyway, we all took a seat and waited for Rob. It was at this time that Scott presented me with a beautiful pair of earrings from his wife’s handmade collection - “Stacey made these for you last night”. How sweet is that?? I LOVE them:

When Stacey has an online store or something I will definitely link to it - she has photos of her jewelry on Facebook and it’s all beautiful, unique, and funky!

The line-up at the car rental place was so long, I guess Rob decided to leave and go back later, so he met up with us on the lower level. I was hoping our vehicle would be HUGE, because there was more than just my wheelchair and a couple guitars… although Alex would play a cello provided by the Fair and Adam the main stage drum kit, there was still a lot of instruments and gear. We brought everything up to the car rental place where Scott and Rob got in line and the rest of us went off to eat in the food court.

When we got back, they had just reached the service desk. Due to a mess up on the car rental agency’s end (of course), we received a free upgrade to a Volvo wagon. It sounded big enough, but once everything was loaded in, Scott, Alex and Adam still had to sit in the back seat with one of the guitar cases across their laps! I, on the other hand, got the front passenger seat. Just the first example of how wonderfully I was treated all weekend! They even let me have the air conditioning on the whole 2 hour car ride… I, too, sneeze and get headaches from A/C, but it is a necessary evil when it’s hot!

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I am overdue for an update. I don’t know, blame Facebook, that place is brutal.

I still haven’t looked into getting my camera or cord or whatever I need fixed (I just haven’t had TIME. Well, okay, I’ve had time, but that damn FACEBOOK…) to upload photo and video again. So I’m still tossing old stuff up here. And by “old” I mean last month, and really, the cats haven’t changed since then. I think they have reached their full growth, and I’m happy to see that they aren’t huge cats. They’re a nice size, although Pita still thinks she’s only a few inches long and continues to try to curl up in my neck or get into little places and positions she used to be able to do when she was a few weeks old… it ain’t gonna happen, sweetie, but damn, it sure is cute to watch you try.

I went for my 7th quantum release session today (the first of two freebies). This was the most exciting one so far! I feel great today, so I was in an excited and positive mood when I arrived, and I told Kevin how amazing it is that I have honestly let go of my past and all the emotional crap from over the years. That even when I try to think about shit from my past, (and as my mom says, “don’t TRY!!”) my mind immediately filters it and goes to something else. It’s neat. And wonderful. So why, I ask, am I still eating junk and not in perfect health?? Huh?

Anyway, Kevin proceeded with the session and focused on the physical. We actually talked and joked around during this one, which we don’t normally do; you’re supposed to block out all other distractions. I stopped wearing ear plugs after my 3rd session because I hate those things, but I still put a towel over my eyes. Anyway, Kevin and I were talking and he started the healing stuff and we just kept talking and joking around. He said “this is a freebie, so I can give you a hard time if I want to.” I said “Yeah, well, that will go in the book”. I told him if he heals me, I’ll write a book about it and get us on Oprah.

After the session our coversation went like this:

Kevin - Well, now that you’re rid of the emotional stuff, I can really see your core strength. All that emotional crap was covering it up before, but we broke through that. Pat (the psychic that works in the next office) said all your physical problems were emotional? That’s a load of crap.
Me - Yeah, well, she said my emotional baggage caused my health problems and are keeping them there. But obviously after so many years, there is actual physical damage too. Wait a minute, did you just say that Pat is full of CRAP?
Kevin - Well… yeah… I tell her that to her face all the time. Anyway, your health problems are physical, it’s just that the emotional stuff was so deep it was covering up the ability to see that. Now that it’s cleared out, we can work on the physical and really get some healing going.

So… yay! I walked out of there so full of hope. I truly believe I am on to something here, no matter how hocus-pocus others may think what I’m doing is. I will walk again, like normal, without a walker, without a cane. I know it.

You can put an I Can Has Cheezburger application on your Facebook page. Awesome.

The other day I was home flipping channels and watched a bit of the local News at Noon. They were giving away passes to the premiere of A Mighty Heart, so I called in and was one of the winners! The catch being, of course, you have to pick the tickets up at the TV station. Well, I wasn’t about to pay cab fare for that, or go through Access Hell for movie tickets. I called a couple people, but no one was able to grab them for me during regular business hours. I called the station and explained my situation, so the Very Nice Receptionist offered to leave the tickets for me at the security desk to be picked up after they lock the doors at 5:30. I then called AH and asked him to swing by there on his way home (it wouldn’t be out of his way) and also to come with me (it’s on Monday) because I think this movie will interest him. Anyway, he called me when he arrived at the station so that I was on the phone if he needed to prove anything to the security guys about picking up on my behalf. AH stood at the door for a couple minutes because there was no one at the security desk, (I said, “it’s already 20 minutes into their shift, they’re in the break room” haha) and then someone came and opened the door. “Who are you here for?” he asked. “I’m here to pick up movie tickets from the security desk”, answered AH. “Okay, c’mon in” said the man. Who just happened to be the nightly news anchor, which made the entire trip worthwhile for AH. “That was the guy from the news!” He was so excited. He’s never been so close to *celebrity* before. “It must have been my suit, why he let me in. I look all professional and stuff. Wow, I see him on TV every night! EEEEEEK!!!” (or something like that).

I am all booked and confirmed for my trips to Toronto and Montreal in September. It’s going to be… amazing. I’m going to see pretty much everyone I want and hope to see, I believe! Even Lobelia, who no longer lives in Montreal and has been touring mostly around the U.S. and Europe with her new beau (who lives in England, where she will eventually end up since they are getting married!) has a show in Montreal when I’ll be there. It’s going to be surreal, even better than last September, if that is at all humanly possible. One day I’m going to make a list of all the people I love that I will be seeing while I’m down there, and the people I’ve been dying to meet that I will finally meet in person, and I will freak myself out that it is actually real and going to happen.

I have been spending a lot of time on Facebook, searching for old friends. I’m finding a few, but not a ton, because I’m at the age where most of those people have families and careers (unlike me) and better things to do than hang out on Facebook (like me). However, the ones involved in the arts are usually found on there, because they like to network!

One of those old friends from 15 years back I have been communicating with, and after catching him up a bit on the changes in my life since my MS diagnosis, he sent me the following message:

Life can be such a struggle at times, but it is the struggle that makes us stronger and also more complete. I feel that if a person has an uneventful life, they haven’t lived it. You are resiliant and can roll with the punches and you have also learnt who your friends are.

Keep enjoying all that you have and also what you love the most. Life is a great gift!

I love that message.

I forgot to link to this in my last entry… a long time ago I posted a song on here by a hilarious New Zealand folk/comedy duo called Flight of the Conchords. They now have their own show on HBO, and the entire first episode is online. It is about the funniest thing I have ever seen, and I sure wish I had HBO!! This will be another series to buy on DVD when it comes out. You can watch it here, and I can’t recommend it enough!! Make sure you have 27 spare minutes to laugh your ass off.

I didn’t make it to a Quantum release session this past week, but I should get my last two in next week. I don’t know if I will continue after that or not… I do FEEL great, mentally, but I sure don’t physically, and that’s really bugging me. I dunno. I said I’d give it 6 sessions, so I will, and decide after that. According to my practitioner, my last two sessions released a LOT of emotional crap. The last one he said was like a bunch of GI Joe figures (or Barbies, or whatever) mashed together and exploding out of me like a cannon. Basically representing the release of people that have hurt me in the past. Like I said, I do feel better emotionally so maybe I am getting something out of it subconsciously. Time will tell if there is any long term effects.

I have decided I am going on a vacation in September, whether I can really afford it or not. Where there is a will, there is a way. I will be going to Toronto for about 6 days, and then off to Montreal for 5 more. Hit two birds with one stone! Emma will be in Toronto at the same time, so I will bus it back to Montreal with her. This trip will involve seeing/meeting soooo many wonderful people and some of my favourite musicians (of course!) so I can’t wait! The only condition is, in order to go to Montreal as well, I need to be able to do the stairs in Emma’s house (and to get on the bus in the first place), which I wouldn’t be able to do right now. So that means I have just over 3 months to exercise and get my legs working better so I can go. So that is my goal, and since I’ll be booking my flights soon, I will HAVE to be able to do it. No backing out. Exercise every day or no trip!!!

Alrighty, so I left off after eating at Dunn’s with Lo. She drove me back to the hotel and helped me get my bags upstairs. She left to return the wheelchair and I was meeting up with Emma and her Dad for dinner later, so I just rested for a few hours. Lo and I made plans to meet up early the next morning so we could go for breakfast before she drove me to the airport.

Emma and her Dad arrived just before 7:00, and it was off to St. Hubert’s. When I first started talking to Emma a couple few years ago, she must have mentioned St. Hubs in almost every conversation. It was her favourite restaurant. Of course, now she’s all grown up and her tastes have ventured into more ethnic and varied cuisine, but good ‘ol St. Hub’s is still on the list and I wanted to check it out.

I didn’t get to meet Emma’s dad on my last trip to Montreal, because he was off on vacation to some warm and beachy place. So this time I was happy to meet the man who is so supportive of Emma’s musical adventures, taking her to see bands and going to shows with her and picking her up late… he’s a cool guy, and obviously quite patient! I really liked him, he is very much into the “power of the mind” stuff so we had lots to talk about. I briefly met Emma’s stepmother on Friday when they were at the Yellow Door, but she unfortunately could not make it for dinner.

Anyway, after eating a yummy chicken sandwich and mashed potatoes (my favourite comfort food! St. Hubert’s is like a classier Swiss Chalet, which I am all too familiar with), after dinner coffee and talking, they drove me back to the hotel. Emma came upstairs with me so we could hug goodbye for an hour. Snifffffff! Then she was gone. WAH!!! Emmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! By the way Emma, YOU ROCK. You are so amazing, brilliant, funny, cute, sweet, smart, witty and wise and you’ve got great hair. I realize since we first met that you have made a LOT of new friends and all these other people are realizing how cool and amazing you are, and your own personal fan base is growing bigger every day. But always remember: I AM YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!! I love you to bits and pieces. xoxoxo

The next morning I got up early, packed everything up, and Lo came to get me around 9:00. I checked out and we went for breakfast… Chez Cora, of course. I ordered a latte because it would be “my last latte in Montreal” for awhile. It wasn’t soy or vanilla, but it would have to do.

Then it was off to the airport, where Lo was able to get a pass to go through security and hang with me until I boarded the plane. When you’re “wheelchair assistance” they would rather you have a friend help you than use one of their much needed staff, so that’s a good deal. I wanted to stop at a souvenir shop to buy something for AH to thank him for looking after my cats while I was gone. You’d think I would have thought of this while in the mall the day before, but, no. There were a couple cute shops when you entered the airport, but someone told us there were more stores once you went through security, so I decided to wait and see what they had. That was a mistake because all the nice stuff was in the other stores… past security was only the typical airport Relay store with magazines and candy… and one T-shirt stand where I ended up getting him a very basic “Montreal” T-shirt. Bo-ring! Oh, and some maple candies called Moose Droppings that came in a cute tin. Yeah, the choices were limited. But as I soon found out he didn’t scoop the cat litter boxes, so he was deserving of Moose Droppings. Heh!

Anyway, we approached my gate and wouldn’t you know it, a Second Cup! Okay, so, THAT was my last latte in Montreal. And it was soy and vanilla.

Lo sat with me right up until I boarded. She had by this time given me my new cell phone and a couple of her CDs, which were safely stowed in my suitcase. Lo heard me singing along with some songs over the past few days and decided she wants me to sing on her next CD. Crazy person. I CAN NOT SING. I used to be able to, but I lost it with old age and no practice. Now I can sing along with other people, and only certain (limited) ranges and styles, but she seems to think that is enough. Crazy person.

Anyway, after hugs and kisses goodbye I was off. Sniffffff again! By the way, Lobelia, I am soooooooo glad we met. I feel like we have always been friends and were just plain meant to be friends. Thank you so very, very much for everything you did for me while I was in Montreal, all the driving me around, renting a wheelchair for me, airport pick up and drop off, etc. Thanks for the rose, the awesome cell phone, the CDs, the great talks, the compliments you gave me and being a true friend. I just know I can count on you and you have no idea how good that makes me feel. I miss you too, and can’t wait to hang out with you again! xoxoxo

My flight home was longer because we stopped in Toronto, and the flight I was on was full from Toronto to Calgary, so I was bumped to the next one. (I was using a Westjet Buddy Pass to fly, which is stand by). I had a couple hours to waste in the Toronto airport so I sat in the bar, drank a very expensive pint of beer, and called Lindy. I also text messaged AH to make sure he could still pick me up at the later time.

I arrived in Calgary just before 8:00 p.m. and AH picked me up. I had him stop at a Tim Horton’s drive thru because I was starving and figured a couple Everything bagels would do the trick. We got to my place and AH carried in my suitcase and put it on my bed so I was forced to at least do a little unpacking before I went to sleep. I kissed and smooshed kitties and scooped cat litter and was in bed shortly after that!

So, that was Montreal for me this time. I hope to go back next year… I had up until now been keeping all my loose change in a jar, but have moved it to a large vase and I’m including any loonies and toonies I get in there too. That is my travel fund. Next October is Lindy’s wedding, which he wants me at, so I’d like to combine Toronto and Montreal next fall… would that not be awesome???

I have no Montreal pics for this entry so let me throw up a couple cat ones:

Hanging out on mom’s bed

Sunday, September 17 ~

I woke up around 9:00 a.m., I think. I just can’t sleep in no matter how late I go to bed. But, I can certainly stay in bed, which is what I did until about 11:00. Emma and I both took our time getting dressed and stuff. Lindy called at some point, but it was later than 11:00 as I expected, and he had just woke up and was having his first coffee. We’d meet at Chez Cora later? Yeppers!

Around 1:00 I called Lindy and said “we’re heading over now, we’re starving… just meet us there when you can.” He said he’d be about an hour… maybe an hour and a half.

It was closer to two hours by the time he arrived. I kidded that he’ll be late for his own wedding, but he didn’t deny it. Except “Sally would kick my ass” hehe Our food arrived shortly after Lindy did, and I decided I would be happy if I could eat this meal every day of my life: French toast made with zucchini breakfast cake instead of bread, tons of fresh fruit, and chocolate-hazelnut spread to dip it in. OMG. Lindy said “well, we’ll have to find you a personal chef then.” I now have one, she just doesn’t live close enough!!

Me and Lindy at Cora’s

Me and Emma at Cora’s

After eating, we headed back to the hotel. The night before Lindy stashed his guitar and boxes of CDs in our room so he didn’t have to lug them around. Also, it was extra security for us that he would eventually get his arse moving and meet up with us! I joked that “Emma slept with your guitar last night” and Lindy said (I may get in trouble for repeating this… but it’s funny!) “I sleep with my guitar every night. The sound hole is a little big for me, though.” Then he looked at Emma and pondered, “why do I say stuff like that?” Hahaha

Emma had to get home to study and prepare for school the next morning, so after tons o’ hugs and kisses Lindy drove her to the Metro station and they were off. Sniff.

I laid down for a little while and rested. I called Lo, who was in the studio, but offered to pick up some dinner or get something delivered to the hotel when she was finished. She came over, and after leafing through the yellow pages trying to find the number for this great pizza place close to me, we decided to just go to the restaurant in my hotel. The French yellow pages are no help when English is your first language! (Lo is from West Virginia so she’s pretty new to French. She does really good, though!) So, we had a nice dinner downstairs and did our best to ignore the little boy whose parents let him run wild all over the restaurant.

It was an early night because it had been a busy weekend, and Lo and I had plans to hang out the next day so I needed my sleep!

Monday ~

Lo picked me up in the morning, and we put both the wheelchair and walker in her car. The W/C had to be returned, but we still had use of it for the day and intended to do just that at the mall! Lo had to take her car in to a place close to that mall I can’t remember the name of, so she dropped me off in the coffee shop while she took her car in. I got my vanilla soy latte and a muffin, and Lo was back pretty quick and had a coffee and a scone. Which made me wish I had a scone instead of a muffin, but whatever.

Her car would be a couple hours, so we took off to wander the mall. I bought those cute shoes I mentioned the other day, as well as a rusty red coloured hoodie (a thinner material, not thick and fleecy… that would come later) that grabbed my attention. I think that’s all. We looked for Crocs, but they were sold out of Ladies sizes. Lots of baby Crocs (soooo cute!) and men’s, but they knew of “nowhere” that had any ladies left. They are just too popular now! Anyway, it was a nice way to pass the time until Lo’s car was ready, at which time she went to get it while I waited outside (the weather in Montreal was beautiful while I was there).

Then we had to go eat, somewhere Montreal-ish. We chose Dunn’s downtown, because they are famous for their Montreal Smoked Meat sandwiches, and even though Lo is a vegetarian, she was willing to take me for MEAT. We actually started with a Parisienne Poutine – with peppercorn gravy instead of regular – and that was delicious. Then I got the biggest, yummiest smoked meat sandwich ever!

Dunn’s Downtown Montreal

Me and Lo at Dunn’s. The attempt to show off the menu failed!

I left with a fleecy Dunn’s pullover. It’s too small, but I am hopeful for next winter.

Okay I have officially procrastinated away my morning and I have a ton of work to do, so I’ll finish this up later!

And the Montreal adventures continue… 600 million pictures in this entry, you have been warned.

Saturday, September 16 ~

I think Emma and I woke up around 9:00 a.m.? I can’t remember exactly. All I know is we did the whole showering/dressing thing while exchanging phone calls with Rob, Lo and Lindy (well, I was leaving messages for him to keep him updated on our plans because he was still sleeping) and eventually Rob, Dave and Natasha (Dave’s beautiful friend and back-up singer) went to Chez Cora where Emma, Gaby, myself and Lo met up with them. Lindy finally called and said he had just woken up and would like to meet us “somewhere else, a little later”. So our group minus Lindy enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. This is what I had:

How excited am I that NINE Chez Cora’s are apparently opening in Calgary??

And of course, the cameras were going steady: Read the rest of this entry »

I have so much to talk about regarding my trip to Montreal that I don’t even know where to begin!! It’s overwhelming to think about writing it all out. I had the best time of my life and I love everyone that was there so much I want to burst. I’ve been through a hell of a lot of shit in my life, A LOT, but I tell ya, everything I have been through played a part in my being in Montreal with these people last weekend, so it’s all been worth it.

I guess I’ll just do a day-by-day account and as it gets too long I’ll break it up into separate entries like I did in February ’05.

Thursday, September 14 ~

I arrived at about 1:30 p.m. My friend Lobelia picked me up from the airport. We only knew each other from MySpace before, but I wasn’t worried about us getting along because she’s good friends with Emma and Rob too. She had a rose for me She was awesome. We totally hit it off and I love the internet even more now for bringing me so many great friends.

Once we got my suitcase and walker loaded into her car, we needed to figure out where to go for lunch. Downtown Montreal is not the most accessible place, and I really needed to be somewhere that I didn’t have to walk much from parking, do stairs, handicapped bathroom, etc. I avoided the little airplane bathrooms and asking everyone around me to move so I could struggle to get up and make a scene, so I really needed to pee by now!

After driving around who-knows-where for who-knows-how-long (and after a bus tried to push Lo’s car out of the way when she legally parked downtown for a moment to check the accessibility of a restaurant) we decided on a Boston Pizza near some mall I can never remember the name of (it’s French). Not exactly an original or different Montreal establishment, but that is okay, that would come. We ordered food (including a poutine to share; our Boston Pizzas here don’t have poutine; but I bet even McDonald’s in Montreal would! It’s everywhere) and ate and talked and talked and talked. Lo didn’t have to be anywhere until her rehearsal at 7:00, so our next stop was the coffee shop in the mall so Donna could get her vanilla soy latte, and we talked and talked and talked some more. Then she brought me to my hotel, which was in a great location in the heart of downtown on Avenue du Parc, across the street from the famous breakfast place Chez Cora which would soon become my favourite… I could eat there every day. YUM.

Once settled in my room, I blasted the air conditioning and spent the rest of the evening resting up for the big weekend. I called Emma to let her know I had arrived safe and sound, ordered a sandwich from the Pita Pit up the street, watched TV, and slept.

Friday ~

Emma had class until 10:00, so the plan was that she would run home, grab her stuff, take the Metro downtown and be at my hotel by noonish, and then we’d go eat. At about 12:20 I called her to see where she was, and unfortunately she had missed her first bus. Which meant she missed the connecting ones, and would probably be another 90 minutes. So I wandered down to the restaurant in my hotel and had a late breakfast. I have to laugh at myself for ordering oatmeal, toast and peanut butter, as that is what I ate every morning at the care facility when I broke my wrist. Hehe. This was better though, because it had fresh fruit and maple syrup, and it was in Montreal.

Emma finally arrived, and after a ton ‘o hugs we decided to find an internet café so I could get a latte and check email and stuff. There was one just up the street, so we headed in that direction, when I noticed a Second Cup on my corner. Okay, screw the internet, I can get my usual latte here! So we went in there instead.

Emma’s friend Gaby was in a panic, calling Emma every 1 minute and 43 seconds, because the girls had made T-shirts for Lindy, Rob and Dave Martel (the music of the weekend) and her mom had washed them and ruined them, so new shirts needed to be bought, but oh my god what colours should I get, ask Donna what Lindy’s favourite colour is (?), oh my god what sizes should I get, then words needed to be ironed on, but oh no Gaby’s iron broke, but it’s okay Donna’s hotel room has one, and we don’t have much time so why don’t we just do this tomorrow, NO WAY, okay fine, and okay sure we would love you to pick up some Tim Horton’s bagels, Timbits and coffee on the way, and how are you going to carry all that on your bike, and okay it was fine until you were rear ended and the coffee went everywhere, that’s okay just hurry up, we need to be at the Yellow Door by 6:00. ‘Whew.

Gaby made it to the hotel in one piece and immediately set up the ironing board to work on the “Good Tunes, Good Times” T-shirts for the guys. Emma and Gaby volunteer at the Yellow Door, so we did need to be there by 6:00 to let the musicians in to set up. Emma and I ended up leaving Gaby to finish up the shirts or we’d be late, and grabbed a cab. It was the only cab I would take the rest of my trip, so that was pretty cool! We arrived at the Yellow Door about the same time Rob did. Hugs and kisses ensued, and Emma went around front to unlock doors and stuff. Then Lindy and Dave arrived and many, many hugs and kisses with Lindy followed. It had been almost a year since I had seen him in the flesh! It was my first time meeting Dave, and I had never seen him perform before, but Rob told me he would “blow my mind”. He was right.

So, after helping me and my walker down the stairs, the guys set up their guitars and did sound check while Emma and Gaby (who had arrived by this time and presented the guys with their T-shirts. And wine gums, because Rob has a silly song called “Wine Gums” that we all wanted him to play. That was a direct hint) set up the room for the show. The Yellow Door is a non-profit organization, and the coffeehouse, where the live music happens on weekends, is actually the basement of a house downtown. It was a very intimate setting, and we all know how much I love to be right down in front. You can’t get much closer than this:

Lobelia, Rob and myself watch Dave Martel blow our minds

Then Rob played an amazing set

Followed by the incomparable Lindy

And it was the second best show ever. Because the next night was even better.

After the show, lots of pictures were taken:

Me and Lindy

Me, Lindy and Emma

Me, Rob and Emma

I love Rob Szabo and I don’t care who knows it!

I had the opportunity to meet a lot of Emma’s friends that she talks about all the time over that weekend, including the very cool Catherine Vidal (check out the hair!) a young musician/singer/songwriter that made it down both nights as well.

What a great looking group! Lindy and Rob are the tall ones in the back, and front L-R we have Lobelia, Dave, Me, Gaby, Emma and Catherine. This is my new family.

Emma will have a ton of pictures from that night in her blog soon, too. She’s just a little too busy going to Toronto to see Rob again as well as Peter Katz and Scott Cooper to post yet. Whatever. (I’m NOT jealous!)

Around 1:00 a.m. Rob gave us a ride back to the hotel. I wanted to go straight back to the hotel and get into bed because I knew the next day was going to be super busy!

Next up, we have Saturday. A very full day featuring the above people and Old Montreal, followed by the best live show on earth featuring the above people, followed by hanging at the bar until 4:00 a.m. with the above people. So check back soon! (Of course, those on the notify list will be the first to know!)

I decided I need to update more often so I don’t end up with these reeeeaaaalllly long entries that take me forever to type and no one wants to read because scrolling down looks so overwhelming! (Well, it does to me anyway).

Yesterday my regular Monday - Friday Home Care lady came by; she’s done me the past couple Saturdays as well. I think she just loves my cats, but I know I’m a pretty easy client to help out too. I’m a “one hour” client, but it only ever takes them about half that. My cats, by the way, LOVE her back. They’re all over her when she is here. Now, if I could just get her to stop talking so much, it would be the perfect relationship. She is one of those people that talks out loud as she is doing stuff, telling you what she is doing… “now I’m going to dry your legs… how’s that? Let me put this lotion on your back. How’s that?” Then I get to hear about her other clients, the good and the bad, and previous clients, all bad (one is my neighbour, actually… I guess she was helping him shortly after his wife left, and he was really mean and cranky so she quit him. He’s very much a “Victim” and has always been “poor me” for as long as I’ve known him). I hear about how she is the best home care worker on the planet and why. Oh, and the best person on the planet period… if I hear the story about the wallet she found and returned one more time I’m going to scream!

Oh, speaking of my neighbour, the day I returned home for good he popped over to see me. He had been wondering where I was all this time, and who that “pretty lady” was that came by almost every day (that would be Lisa… he’s missing you more than my kitties are I think, Lisa! Hehe) He was diagnosed with MS 31 years ago, but recently found out it’s not MS he has had after all, but some sort of spinal cord disease that they operated on… and he is walking much better since then. However, it is too late to do anything more. If he had been properly diagnosed 31 years ago, he would probably be fine today. Can you imagine? I’d be soooooooo angry and looking for someone to sue. But so many years have gone by and my neighbour has fallen into a real rut of depression, being a victim, surviving off his disability cheque and complaining about what is wrong with the system, that I’m not so sure he has it in him to fight back.

Hey, he still owes me $10! Heh. I’ll never ask for it back, but that just hit me.

Anyway, after Home Care left my parents came by to take me to the chiropractor. I hadn’t been there in three weeks, and this was the first time I was able to get up from the waiting room chair without anyone helping me. Woot! They are really noticing my improvements, which are certainly noticeable considering three weeks ago I was still at my mom’s and in a real state. I’m certainly better than that, but until I can dress myself and move like before I won’t consider myself “better”!

We went for pizza later and it was sooo good. Bella Roma has the best pizza in Calgary, if you’re ever wondering. If you have tried theirs and still know of somewhere better here, (since Curbside in Bridgeland closed… sniff) leave it in the comments, because I would certainly like to try it!

So, I have decided I will for sure be going to Montreal in Mid-September for a few days. I’m not sure how my health will be by then, so I booked an accessible hotel room downtown for the time I am there instead of simply hoping I’ll be able to do Emma’s stairs. Better safe than sorry! It’s going to be so much fun… I’ll get to hang with Emma again, meet Lobelia, lots of other people Em has told me about, AND, see my buddies Lindy and Rob Szabo! EEK! I’m not going to tell Lindy I’m coming, I will surprise him. I still have to book my actual flights, but am waiting on a friend to straighten out a Westjet Buddy Pass situation so I can hopefully fly cheap.