Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Hiding from the roof monster



This summer's dismal weather has served to highlight the problems we already knew existed with the roof on our house when we bought it two years ago. In other words, when it rains, it leaks. So yours truly is taking advantage of three forecast days of sunshine and cool temperatures to replace the roof. Spent today up above, ripping off all the old shingles.

Do rabbits like hearing endless hours of heavy boots and dragging, scraping noises coming from overhead? Not particularly, it would seem.

But they'd better get used to it if they're going to become the adventure-buns we expect them to be in years to come.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Calgary Highland Games



Calgary Highland Games yesterday. Woo-hoo! Always fun, and this year they've got a new venue - superb. More people, more space and a beer tent that could comfortably have housed something very, very big and funny.

I was booked for a couple of stage shows and MC-ing the ceilidh in the evening. Mother Nature decided that we couldn't reasonably have a Highland Games without our share of black skies and pelting rain which chilled things down, but the die-hards that stuck around pendant la deluge got their money's worth.

The headliners for the ceilidh were Celtic Spirit, three Glaswegians who flew in at 2pm the day before, propped up the bars around the city until 2am and then spent the next day gigging at the Games. Frankly I'm amazed they were still upright by 9pm. And so were they. And they're up at the Canmore Games today which means a two-hour drive and no respite from jet-lag. If downtown Canmore gets trashed by a trio of rampaging sleep-deprived and delusional Weegies, I won't even be faintly surprised.

Two highlights: bumping into old friends from the Buccaneers (now also playing with Staggered Pints - the name says it all) and being introduced to Third Reel, a local band who ought to be far, far bigger and better known than they are. Get a CD out, guys! You're too good not to.