Fish And Dirty Socks

I sit here listening to The Stampeders singing “Sweet City Woman”; I can’t help but think of a friend that sent me a message through a third party that the Stampeders suck! The music might be a little dated, but it brings to mind a golden period of my life between 1964 and 1977. I can’t imagine what would make him attack a now defunct band, perhaps it was because the Calgary Stampeder football team were playing last night. Hey, you know it is just possible that he meant that the football team sucked.

How anyone that cheers on the Argos could be critical of even a bad high school team is beyond me.

I guess that decades of disappointing sports teams have finally turned a once brilliant mind to mush. Perhaps next century Toronto will have a winning team (one that doesn’t wear skirts), but until that time I will continue making observations on life while listening to the Stampeders.

We have guests from out of town for a few days from a city in Ontario that used to have the largest building in the world. Nephew Andy and his wife Tracy arrived last night with their two wonderful kids, Lucas and Madeline. They had a two hour delay at the airport which must have been fun. There was something about a defective plane. That inspires confidence! They arrived a couple hours late, but no worse for the delay.

Today I made them pancakes and bacon, which is standard Stampede fare. It was a late breakfast because I kept them all up talking until the wee hours. This should keep them off of their “A” game for the duration of the visit. They set out to discover all that there is to know about dinosaurs at the Tyrell Museum. It is located in Drumheller Alberta and is pretty impressive. I normally am not moved by museums, but this one is in a class on its own. Perhaps in a million years or so, someone will dig my bones out of the dirt and make pronouncements about how with such a tiny brain it is no wonder this species died out quickly. They will be hard pressed to figure out why my lungs are coated in tar, or why I am cram packed with animal growth hormones. I don’t plan on making it easy for them. Poindexters!

They are expected back sometimes around supper and we plan to bring the cousins together. Should be fun.

 
Tomorrow Andy and family are goin’ Stampedin’! Yah-Hoo! They will start the day at “Rope Square”, for the free pancake breakfast, eaten while sitting on hay bales and listening to county music. The kids want to get cowboy hats and I think a rodeo and perhaps the Chucks are on the agenda. I am sure they will have fun. I hope they have fun.
 
On Tuesday, the plan is to head deep into the mountain parks for a week or so and enjoy all that God and the Canadian Government has provided. It would be hard not to have a good time.

The interesting thing about visiting, is that your time is not always your own. You want to visit of course but you constantly wonder if you should do this or should I get them that. We are just happy to see them, and they are happy to see us. I always have difficulty when I travel. How much time do you spend with this cousin or that friend? In a perfect world they would get sick of you at about the same time you get sick of them. My mom had a saying “That relatives are like fish. After a few days they both start to stink and you can’t get them out of the house fast enough.” Come to think of it, that might explain why we didn’t socialize with any of our family. Hmmmm. Thanks mom!

One time we were given as a birthday gift! That is wonderful for the recipient, but the gift (me) all of a sudden goes from a sentient being (sort of) to a thing. We had no real input into what we might do or where we would go. Disconcerting! I should say (on the off chance anyone might get offended) that in that particular instance we had a great time and I would do it again.

So, Andy and family will be leaving after two and a half days, well within my mom’s deadline. The only odd smell will be coming from dirty socks, and of course pancake breath.