I wrote from the Edmonton International Airport on my way back to Vancouver I was seated at the Gretzky Wine and Whiskey Bar. The choice of venue was made after a lengthly discussion with two helpful women. Why the Gretzky? I have become a desperate woman as I need to hone some sports skills for the completion of the book about my sports writer Uncle Dave. I am hoped that something might rub off. I even drank a beer which for me was an oddity. I was feeling sort of like a guy glancing at the television sets all showing hockey games. It was not half bad, some of those hockey players were rather cute. But it struck me as interesting to see all of the violent pushing, shoving and hitting going on between the players. Is this a ploy to enhance fan participation? Did that behavior exist in the hockey games played in the 1940s? i’ve not seen evidence of that in my uncle’s coverage of hockey games back then. But I do need to do more research, more reading of his word.
Three days before, when returning to the Chateau Lacombe after a glamour outing, I spied a bus parked in the front containing an army of huge young men. I said to an assembled group: “How can that be fair, I just had my make up done and I look quite cute and now all of you guys are leaving.” This met with some confusion, mumbling and little laughter. It ended up these guys were arriving, not leaving. “Oops” It ends up they were rugby players – their lack of responsiveness was probably due to one too many concussions as another woman and I discussed. I ran into three of the hunks in an elevator there at the Chateau.
Me: What is rugby? Is it a little bit like football?
Hunk: Sort of.
So that is another research project for the book. Find out what rugby is and then see if Uncle Dave covered it. Some day i am going to count how many different sports Dave Dryburgh covered but it may prove massively discouraging. He even wrote about cricket once.
My time in Edmonton was characterized by a series of indulgences commonly known as “taking care of myself.” There was the Cindy make over, a pedicure, a manicure and then Miranda used her massive skills.. I was telling Colette how nice everyone was and how Motta told me twice that I was cute and said she understood why everyone would love me.
Colette: You have got to take what service people say to you with a grain of salt.
Me: Maybe you are right. I did give her a really big tip.
Colette: See I told you!
So I have great fingernails, great toenails and a lot of makeup that I will probably never use. Colette and I had a marvelous time with one another and l laughed our rear ends off. The boss in LaRonde came up to us and said:
Boss: You two have never stopped laughing since you walked in here.
Colette and Me: Thanks
Then later Colette and I had the following conversation.
Me: Were you always this funny?
Colette: I don’t know.
Me: Well I guess you were. I will always remember that funny thing you said about parking.
Colette: I said, I hate paying for parking. I feel the same way as a man does when he has to pay for sex!
Me: That was so funny and it was probably said in 1996.
I got the sweetest of all emails last night.
dear alexis adele here visiting with Dad. dad really enjoyed me reading your blog. we had a laugh about the birthday party and i showed the picture of the red carpet. sorry you are under the weather and hope you are feeling better soon.
You stirred a memory of when my dad and mom flew to Vancouver about 40 years ago to see the opera Mignon at the Orpheus. It was a great opera although he says they don’t perform it anymore….
take care
adele, doug, dad
I immediately emailed back. LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU. LOVE YOU. I am better thank you. So many kisses to you guys and Dad. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo I will check on the Mignon. I can make anything happen. Tell Dad that I had two choices – to open the email of him or open the email of some multibillionaire. Whose did I open first???? Dad’s of course, of course, Love forever, Alexis
So that Dad is not my real Dad but my “wished for Dad.” I am blessed. The picture is the beautiful me without glasses. I like myself better with glasses and they have the added advantage of making it possible for me to see.
