Wednesday, October 11, 2006
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
I am back in Halifax after a fantastic 11 days at home in Newfoundland. If anyone ever thought two weeks of doing absolutely nothing would have to be boring, they were wrong. Of course I had plenty of family and old friends around me to keep me occupied but we certainly didn't go out of our way making any serious plans.
My activities included bringing in wood for the fire every evening, washing my clothes and hanging them outdoors on the clothesline to dry; going for drives with Julie; playing school with my baby sister, Amber; visiting with Kelly and my gorgeous new cousin, Lily; and laying on my grandmother's front porch swing, reading.
I did break from my relaxation for one night to go out with Joseph. We did the entire Newfoundland gay circuit! Our first stop was the Grapevine where Jo's friend Stephen met us for a few drinks. After getting comfortably buzzed we moved on to our old stomping grounds, The Zone. I had not been there in over two years and not much has changed in that time ... and I was happy to see it!
Marg met us at the coat check, which was still illuminated by fluorescent black lights; Cowboy Ted was on the dance floor in his tight top; Bev and Steve were behind the bar; Bobby (the bouncer-not-really) was sitting on his bench at the back door making sure no one got outside with their drinks; the picket fence was still protecting the video screen; people were hanging out in the back alley; DJ Fabes made an appearance even though he was not spinning; and it was no surprise that the music was just as fantastic as ever! As soon as we walked in the club Bananarama started playing, complete WITH VIDEO!
It was the same old grungy, tiny hole in the wall that we remembered ... and we loved every second of it!
We later moved on to Liquid Ice for some rave dancing. Even though we are the oldies now, Jo and I were still on the dance floor more often and longer than any of the new generation of young gays. We decided to leave after the upstairs bathroom sprung a leak and it started dripping through the ceiling onto the dance floor. I just cannot seem to escape toilet water in dance clubs lately!
We had a fun time and there was no one I would have rather gone on the 2006 Newfoundland Gay Fall Tour with than Jo!
Happy Thanksgiving ...
Sunday I managed to drive the one hour back to Calvert without passing out or having to stop and puke. I don't know how I did it because I had a major hangover. But it was not long before nanny filled my stomach with delicious Thanksgiving turkey dinner and I was feeling fine again.
Sue, Billy-Lynn, Sue-Ann, Sheldon, Mary and Pete all showed up at different points throught the day to visit for Thanksgiving. It was good to see nanny cooking up a storm and tending on everyone. To complain about so much work is tradition for her, but I know she loved every minute of it!
Later that night Julie and I ordered up "a feed" to Bernard Kavanagh's snack bar. In fine form, we were greeted at the counter and told that our fries did not have gravy like we ordered because they ran out. We could not help but laugh when Della yelled out from the kitchen that she had tried to "scrape a bit out of the bottom of the pot" for us but just could not get enough to do the job. So typical for our favourite snack bar and you have to appreciate small town customer service. We enjoyed the "feed" all the same.
The next day I said good-bye to everyone and jumped on a plane back to Halifax. It was sad to leave because I really had a wonderful time. Alas, it's back to daily life here now and even though I am missing home already, I am excited to see all my friends and catch up.
I am back in Halifax after a fantastic 11 days at home in Newfoundland. If anyone ever thought two weeks of doing absolutely nothing would have to be boring, they were wrong. Of course I had plenty of family and old friends around me to keep me occupied but we certainly didn't go out of our way making any serious plans.
The tree I planted in my nanny's backyard
when I was 4 years old.
My activities included bringing in wood for the fire every evening, washing my clothes and hanging them outdoors on the clothesline to dry; going for drives with Julie; playing school with my baby sister, Amber; visiting with Kelly and my gorgeous new cousin, Lily; and laying on my grandmother's front porch swing, reading.
Nanny Winnie hanging out her clothes
I was even home for the annual fall moose hunt
I did break from my relaxation for one night to go out with Joseph. We did the entire Newfoundland gay circuit! Our first stop was the Grapevine where Jo's friend Stephen met us for a few drinks. After getting comfortably buzzed we moved on to our old stomping grounds, The Zone. I had not been there in over two years and not much has changed in that time ... and I was happy to see it!
Marg met us at the coat check, which was still illuminated by fluorescent black lights; Cowboy Ted was on the dance floor in his tight top; Bev and Steve were behind the bar; Bobby (the bouncer-not-really) was sitting on his bench at the back door making sure no one got outside with their drinks; the picket fence was still protecting the video screen; people were hanging out in the back alley; DJ Fabes made an appearance even though he was not spinning; and it was no surprise that the music was just as fantastic as ever! As soon as we walked in the club Bananarama started playing, complete WITH VIDEO!
It was the same old grungy, tiny hole in the wall that we remembered ... and we loved every second of it!
We later moved on to Liquid Ice for some rave dancing. Even though we are the oldies now, Jo and I were still on the dance floor more often and longer than any of the new generation of young gays. We decided to leave after the upstairs bathroom sprung a leak and it started dripping through the ceiling onto the dance floor. I just cannot seem to escape toilet water in dance clubs lately!
We had a fun time and there was no one I would have rather gone on the 2006 Newfoundland Gay Fall Tour with than Jo!
Happy Thanksgiving ...
Sunday I managed to drive the one hour back to Calvert without passing out or having to stop and puke. I don't know how I did it because I had a major hangover. But it was not long before nanny filled my stomach with delicious Thanksgiving turkey dinner and I was feeling fine again.
Sue, Billy-Lynn, Sue-Ann, Sheldon, Mary and Pete all showed up at different points throught the day to visit for Thanksgiving. It was good to see nanny cooking up a storm and tending on everyone. To complain about so much work is tradition for her, but I know she loved every minute of it!
Later that night Julie and I ordered up "a feed" to Bernard Kavanagh's snack bar. In fine form, we were greeted at the counter and told that our fries did not have gravy like we ordered because they ran out. We could not help but laugh when Della yelled out from the kitchen that she had tried to "scrape a bit out of the bottom of the pot" for us but just could not get enough to do the job. So typical for our favourite snack bar and you have to appreciate small town customer service. We enjoyed the "feed" all the same.
The next day I said good-bye to everyone and jumped on a plane back to Halifax. It was sad to leave because I really had a wonderful time. Alas, it's back to daily life here now and even though I am missing home already, I am excited to see all my friends and catch up.
:: posted by Ray of Delight, 11:47 AM
