The Journey takes a pit stop

So let's see, where did I leave off? Tuesday I suppose. Well, on Tuesday, we got much packed, but still had quite a bit left, not including the stuff that I was planning to take because I needed it for my last few days in Edmonton. So...

Wednesday...

I went off to work with no lunch and no money, expecting Rod, Marc, and Jette to have packed Rod off by noon. So when I ran home to see if there was anything in the fridge for lunch, I was surprised to find them still there, working on the odds and ends. I once more kissed Rod off, and went back to work, and he got out of Edmonton around 2 with some very drowsy, unhappy kitties. Max hissed much of the time, despite his drugged condition. Spry little guy! After work, I went back to my empty apartment, had a mini-breakdown because it was really all happening, and then started to clean. I dragged almost everything left over to Jette's and then crashed for the night.

Thursday...

I went to work at the United Way for the last time, and only for the morning, as I was scheduled to work the National Conference that we were hosting from Thursday afternoon to Saturday evening. Barely anyone noticed I was leaving in all the chaos, which I supposed worked out well for me, because there were a few people I'd have preferred not having to deal with in my last few days. Off to the Conference around noon, where I was on my feet for the day, fake smiling and registering people. By the time that was all said and done, I was not in the mood to clean, plus, there was a very important night of television waiting for me, so I blew it off. Bad idea, but oh well.

Friday...

Conference work, this time, I'm supporting sessions by doing lackey work. But at least I got to be in the sessions and take part. Pretty interesting day in that respect. I had plans to go to the shooting range with Holly that evening, but when I got to my apartment, there were a few cleaning surprises waiting for me. Stuff like gooey red liquid on the bottom of the fridge and baked on grease and cake batter in the oven that I was unaware of. I had to put the plans with Holly off for Saturday and then spent 6 hours cleaning the apartment, emptying it of everything except phone books and a lint roller, so that 5 years of embedded cat hair could be dealt with by the next fellow (who was moving into our old apartment from Vancouver, ironically). Somewhere in the transportation process, I lost a full bag of frozen goods...very puzzling. Back to Jette's place to crash hardcore. Busy, very tiring day.

Saturday...

Back up and off to the Conference for more lackey work, but today was different. Great sessions, and I was done by 3:30, just in time to see my Red Wings lose Game 5 against the Oilers. Boo. Back to Jette's to pack up my things there in preparation for my journey on Sunday, but first, it's Girl's night out! It started with Holly and I making our trip to the Shooting Range at West Ed Mall, where we took turns with a 9mm, which I thought was awesome, but Holly was more frightened than anything. Given a gun to defend myself, I know I'm capable of some good shooting. Very cool. Then it was off to get ready for a Whyte night. We met up with Jette at Devlin's and headed for the Thirsty Turtle, catching the end of the cheap drink specials, and playing pool. We got crowded out of the pool table, so off to the Funky Buddha, where we stayed for only a few minutes, just enough time to have a shot, get cheeky with goofy drunk men, and run into my old friend Rachel, back from Europe in time for me to get her email address before I left town. Then we went to The One on Whyte, which wasn't really Holly's style of bar, being more of a meat market, but by then, who cared, it was about drinks and dancing! Lots of eye candy, Jette was hitting it off with some youngin's, it's all good. Then these guys are brought over to dance with us by girls who didn't want them, and Holly got slammed by one of the dicks, so we left. In the span of the 3 minutes it took us to leave, I got a stiffy rubbed up against me, and on the stairs on the way out, some guy walking in reached out and grabbed my crotch. I remembered why having Rod around could be a good thing, in spite of his White Men Can't Dance routine. Home to Jette's, where we stayed up and talked until 3:30...something told me I wasn't leaving at 8 am like I planned.

Sunday...

Oooooooooooh Sunday...Let's label Sunday "Failure to Launch." Woke up at 11:00, not entirely sober and not entirely human. I could barely stand the 5 minute drive over to my old apartment to drop off the keys, nevermind 12 hours on the highway. I stayed at Jette's and watched TV. We went out for greasy hamburgers, and back home for Sunday night TV. Hangovers are something I didn't miss during my 5 years of self-imposed sobriety.

Monday...

UP and out of Jette's before 8 am, stop for gas, stop for juice, and away I go. I pulled out onto the Yellowhead at 8:30, hit Jasper by 11 for a quick bite and a gas up, then off. The weather turned to shite immediately after crossing the border into BC, and stayed that way for about 200 kms. The annoying part about this drive is that it goes down to one lane highway upon entering Jasper National Park, all the way to McClure, just outside of Kamloops, so I was bored, impatient, and generally an asshole about passing slow drivers who probably considered their 110 KPH fast for the 100 KPH speed limits (I tend to like it more around the 135 KPH mark). Stop in Kamloops for more gas and a bathroom break. A little walk about around the Mall there, looking for a specific flavour of chips, but having no luck, it's back on the road to tackle the Coquihalla Highway. The road got wet between the junction outside of Kamloops and Merritt, then dry until about 15 minutes out of the Toll Booth. Then it was snowy and gross, but multiple lanes made the drive much better, despite the weather. I pulled into Burnaby, and up to my new front door 11h 32m after pulling out of the Petro-Can on Yellowhead. Damn, I'm good. Fuck that, I'm AWESOME. The rest of the night was TV and sleep.

Tuesday...

I wake up in my new digs, look out at my positively fantastic view of Mountains, city, lakes, and rivers, and I knew it was all worth it. We unpacked some, and went to Ikea to get a couple of shelves. Somehow we left an apartment of 800 sq ft in Edmonton for one of 775 sq ft here, and have more open space...weird. We got our phone, internet and cable set up, and life was good. Except for the Red Wings losing again and exciting the run for the Cup. I have more reasons to hate the Edmonton Oilers, and their rabid fans. Oh well, there's next year.

Wednesday...

More unpacking, it's becoming more like an apartment, less like a storage room in disarray. General malaise. It's good to be a bum.

And that brings us to this morning. I think it's more unpacking, and a trip to a couple of malls for today. And I need to find a Pilates studio, it's warm weather here, and I need to be in beach shape, since I now have easy access to a beach for the first time in 8 years. 8 years. That's just gross, and it's a big reason why I didn't care for Edmonton. Just as we were leaving, the City was discussing the idea of creating man-made beach spaces in the city. Too Late!

So, Welcome dear reader, to Burnaby. This ought to be good.