MERRY CHRISTMAS,
WELCOME TO A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
of
TORONTO PIP "THE WEEK THAT WAS" WHICH IS NOW "THE WEEKS THAT WERE".
My latest jejune missive is a whimsical update on Toronto Pip, his trusty side-kick Mississauga Juju and the ever present babe magnet Montreal McGregor. I am a bit tender at present being the time of year so I don't want negative responses questioning the banality of its contents only being surpassed by the egregious form of my writing. [I really must get of the pills, but god bless America and valium sold over the counter].
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas as Bing once said, we'll it would be nice, here I was all set up for skiing on Christmas day and bloody Al Gore goes and does some bloody doco on global warming and f... me if there is no snow in Toronto or greater area. First time in 20 years, and on my bloody watch. [I blame NZ and all the hot air from parliament and of course the sheep & cattle farting]. What a load of s... it has nothing to do with any of that.
So quite frankly I am completely pissed off and am telling everyone who cares to listen. I think a big night on the truth serum is in order.
Not all is lost though as Ju & I have decided to bail from Canada & head to Vermont (Jay Peak) to carve up the mountain as they actually have snow. So we are going to spend 5 days from 26th though 31st. Then we will head to Montreal for New Years and have our dose of the old François? Back to Toronto for some celebrity parties, and a few farewells.
Farwell's I here you say, yes on Jan 15th I set up my New York office, pledge allegiance to the flag & vote republican. No more dealing with conservative Canadians. Ju, Mac & belongings will follow soon after once we find our NY apartment, of course "she who must be obeyed" has requirements, the list is a view of NY skyline, a view of the Hudson river or Central Park, 2 bedrooms (his & hers) a gym & pool. Personally she will be lucky if we don't end up with a no bedroom basement with a view of the local Chinese restaurants dumpster, and the subway going past the window every 1/2 hour. But all good and we are looking forward to the next stage of Toronto Pip, Mississauga Juju & Montreal McGregor’s new adventures in the US of A. Think of the "weeks that were" and stories we will have once there, oh I bet you can't wait. The New York names may be "Jersey Juju", "Manhattan McGregor" "Yonkers Pip" , so stay tuned.
The end of year has been busy with travel etc; I have been doing many day trips to NY which has been quite taxing mentally & physically. Plus the usual Detroit, Salt Lake, Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo etc so a wee break is going to be fantastic.
I am going to leave it there as you are all obviously so busy that you have forgotten to email me with a Merry Christmas.
Remember to sing along to such songs as
I'm dreaming of a nice mistress
Frosty the Snow Man just melted on the lawn
All I want for Christmas is darn good shag
Grandma got run over by a dairy cow
I saw mummy blowing Santa balloons
Rudolf the Brown Nose Reindeer
Winter Wonder-if-it-will Bloody Snow Soon
&
I'll Be Home for Christmas (but not this year)
Be safe, be kind, be good, be healthy, be having a toast in our absence.
We will be thinking of you all.
Much Love
TORONTO PIP, MISSISSAUGA JUJU & MONTREAL McGREGOR.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Friday, December 1, 2006
Old Relics and New Rellies November 23-24 2006 in Quebec
Rellies and Relics in Quebec.
Our trip to Quebec to discover Dad's grandmothers home.
As we drove out of Toronto into the early afternoon traffic, my slightly injured and suffering husband turned to me and asked...remind me just why we are doing this again?... How could I make sense of my desire to discover the grave of one of my fathers great great grandfathers, and to walk on the land my own great grandmother had as a child. So I muttered something about 'just needing to' and 'I'll never get another opportunity to do this' and stuff like that. Eight hours later we pulled off the highway and drove down the charming streets of Old Quebec then stumbled around the streets searching for our Hotel...enroute and of course we came upon the Montmerency falls lit up in all their pale and rushing glory under a starry sky with the lights of Quebec twinkling back along the river. Pip commented that he'd had no idea Qubec was going to be sooo big!!
Finally after a few lovingly heated words we checked into out thankfully dog friendly hotel in Beauport, polished off a small bottle of Baileys and hit the hay.
.
Clara Plante was baptised at St Laurent ville in 1868, the little church has gone now, replace by a shiny new stone edifice but luckily photos of the old church still remain.
Church where Clara Plante was baptised in St Laurent in the Isle.
Then we headed to town for a trip to Mt Hermon cemetery where after one false start I found the Phillips plot and the graves of William and Henrietta Phillips.
Our trip to Quebec to discover Dad's grandmothers home.
As we drove out of Toronto into the early afternoon traffic, my slightly injured and suffering husband turned to me and asked...remind me just why we are doing this again?... How could I make sense of my desire to discover the grave of one of my fathers great great grandfathers, and to walk on the land my own great grandmother had as a child. So I muttered something about 'just needing to' and 'I'll never get another opportunity to do this' and stuff like that. Eight hours later we pulled off the highway and drove down the charming streets of Old Quebec then stumbled around the streets searching for our Hotel...enroute and of course we came upon the Montmerency falls lit up in all their pale and rushing glory under a starry sky with the lights of Quebec twinkling back along the river. Pip commented that he'd had no idea Qubec was going to be sooo big!!
Finally after a few lovingly heated words we checked into out thankfully dog friendly hotel in Beauport, polished off a small bottle of Baileys and hit the hay.
Evan's home on the Isle
By 9 we were on the road to distant cousin Evan Price's country place on Isle d'Orleans. By some weird and friendly twist of fate Evan , his wife and kids and Evan's mother Muffy Price own one hundred hectares of what would have been in the mid 1800's my great grandmothers family farm....the Plante familystill live all around this property and one Plante cousin Jean-Pierre runs the farm and has been associated with the Price family for 40 years..
Jean Pierre Plante and Julie Wood (nee Phillips), Plante land on Isle d'Orleans,
It was amazing to finally be were this lady who has lately come to be very real to me as I have tried to piece together part of her life story. Clara Plante was baptised at St Laurent ville in 1868, the little church has gone now, replace by a shiny new stone edifice but luckily photos of the old church still remain.
Church where Clara Plante was baptised in St Laurent in the Isle.
We drank a little wine after the farm visit with Muffy in her wonderful old stone house that looks down to the river, Mac played with her little dog so was not left out of this adventure.
Then we headed to town for a trip to Mt Hermon cemetery where after one false start I found the Phillips plot and the graves of William and Henrietta Phillips.
Jancis Robinson at the Barberian Cellar: Friday December 1 2006
:Barberian Steak House at 7 Elm Street TorontoRed Wine Cellar
Just had boozy evening at gorgeous cellar under Barberians Steak House. The Cookbook store hosted celebrated British wine writer and critic Jancis Robinson at an intimate wine tasting for a select group of lucky imbibers. Aaron Barberian's cellar is stunning, Jancis proclaimed it to be one of the top restaurant cellars she'd ever been in. Being a good Kiwi girl I circulated through the crowd talking up New Zealand wines other than Sav Blanc which I'm not at all fond of...its time the rest of the world noticed our Rieslings and Pinot Gris and gorgeous Pinot Noir's.
Jancis gave us a run down on the vagaries of the weather during these
months and briefly commented on climate change and its effect on wines.. Germany, she said, is one area that has benefited from warmer sunnier summers. She touched on the emerging vineyards in Spain, gave us a quick insight into what was happening in China and even mentioned the word fake and wine in same breath. EEk. She didn't want to be drawn into a discussion regarding corks versus screw caps but suggested that somewhere a clever designer must come up something more inspiring. I think I detected a passion for things red and French. Earlier in the day Jancis lunched with an elite group including Alison Fryer of the Cookbook store and they opened a 
bottle of 1951 Chateau Palmer...Alison declared it to be even better than the 1951 Latour...Jancis commented on national radio just an hour after lunch that it was the last great wine she'd tasted.I on the other hand, not quite in that league... had a taste of a fab Bulgarian Tokay the day before at Barberians that will appear on the wine list soon. It was delish.
Julie Wood, Alison, Aaron, Jancis and Jennifer Grange of the Cookbook Store
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Just a short one to keep you interested: Nov 23 2006
Welcome All,
Another week, another adventure.
It can only mean Toronto Pip & his "The Week That Was" with more exciting escapades.
This Week I bought a factory, spent a day in Deroit, another in Buffalo got grilled at the boarder by US immigration, secured the biggest bus manufactuer in North America as a customer & still manged to beat my opponent in the "gay pool league". No wonder I am a tired whisp of a thing these days.
Mississauga Factory:
On Monday I finalised an arrangement to buy a factory that produces flooring accessories, [cove base, stair-nosings etc]. It has been an interesting process to say the least. I have learnt alot about Canadian law, Revenue Canada etc. But the biggest leason of all was from the owner of the company, on how you can completely screw a 60 year old company by not being attentive. They are filling for Chapter 11 [creditors cannot go after you]. Once this has been done we move in and the rest is history. The factory has one customer that alone could keep it operating. So adding our own business alone means it is a no brain-er that it will work.
Detroit:
Yes back in my favourite city, actually I have worked out if I saty downtown it is actually quite quaint with some rather beautiful buildings. We have final approval
Imagine being if I had been beaten by a woman, well at least I think it was a women, yes I think she was one of those lesbeein's. Even in this area there is soo much to learn. You see there are all types, you are not just a lesbian, there are "Lipstick", "Bi", "Dyke" & my favourite "swing both ways".
Another week, another adventure.
It can only mean Toronto Pip & his "The Week That Was" with more exciting escapades.
This Week I bought a factory, spent a day in Deroit, another in Buffalo got grilled at the boarder by US immigration, secured the biggest bus manufactuer in North America as a customer & still manged to beat my opponent in the "gay pool league". No wonder I am a tired whisp of a thing these days.
Mississauga Factory:
On Monday I finalised an arrangement to buy a factory that produces flooring accessories, [cove base, stair-nosings etc]. It has been an interesting process to say the least. I have learnt alot about Canadian law, Revenue Canada etc. But the biggest leason of all was from the owner of the company, on how you can completely screw a 60 year old company by not being attentive. They are filling for Chapter 11 [creditors cannot go after you]. Once this has been done we move in and the rest is history. The factory has one customer that alone could keep it operating. So adding our own business alone means it is a no brain-er that it will work.
Detroit:
Yes back in my favourite city, actually I have worked out if I saty downtown it is actually quite quaint with some rather beautiful buildings. We have final approval
Imagine being if I had been beaten by a woman, well at least I think it was a women, yes I think she was one of those lesbeein's. Even in this area there is soo much to learn. You see there are all types, you are not just a lesbian, there are "Lipstick", "Bi", "Dyke" & my favourite "swing both ways".
Monday, November 20, 2006
Boston, Salt Lake, Arizona and the Gay Pool League: November 20 2006
Hi all in Kiwiland
Welcome to another installation of "the weeks that were". The exciting adventures of Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor? [Mississauga Juju absent in NZ, for first half of “the weeks that were”].
This instalment consists of business trips, bars, restaurants, police, special forces/swat, rabbis, Mormon's, planes, trains & automobiles, snow, “the gay pool league” & a dislocated shoulder.
Boston: Police, Rabbis, special forces/swat
Arrive in Boston to meet with rep, as per usual the flight is fine, however Boston airport is literally surrounded by the coast so it makes for bumpy, exciting crab like landings just about every occasion. Am picked up by rep and we decide to make the Hyatt Hotel our base as it looks back across the bay to downtown Boston. I explain to the waitress that we will be here for breakfast, lunch & quite possibly dinner as well. After 2.5 hrs we were approached by two policeman wearing jodhpurs, mirror glasses & an attitude [quite common in the states,] I had noticed they were hovering around the hotel which I did think was a bit strange. They enquire as to why we are staying in the restaurant & not moving, my normal witty repartee goes down like a lead balloon in a howling gale (must be the attitude), I asked if the mirror glasses could be removed and a few tense moments later as our fingers twitched on our respective hand guns, the situation is explained and we are free to stay where we are. Some big wig Rabi from Israel was in Boston talking to all the orthodox Jews of the US of A. He declined an audience with Toronto Pip who tried to explain that he has some fine ideas on all things Jewish & that I could organise some holy land in NZ if necessary. All Kosher I said & Shalom to you too.
Next thing we know there was this commotion out side and on the water, I turned to see what was going on and came face to face with a helicopter hovering about 30' from the water, commando's hanging out the side and its rocket launchers and machine guns pointing suspiciously in our direction. There were 5 of these choppers all around the harbour with police boats, coastguard cutters and all sorts going on. Every civilian boat was being boarded and the helicopters were flying over and down in front of those that got to close. TO CLOSE TO WHAT I HERE YOU SAY, all this security was for the delivery of a liquid nitrogen tanker, which apparently is just a floating bomb waiting to happen and would vaporise 2 sq.km. if it went up, and the Americans take this homeland security very seriously you know.
To end this eventful day I went to Cheers Bar which is still in its original place in Boston. I can now officially say I have had a beer at Cheers, disappointing however when I walked in no one called out my name, so is it really the bar were everybody knows your name???
Salt Lake: Mormons, Planes:
Across to Salt Lake City (another plane and of course no direct flight, so it’s Toronto, Detroit, Minnesota, Salt Lake oh the joy of it all) to visit a new OEM customer that I have just got back on board. They produce Jet-Ways for America and world wide. The tentacles that you walk down to the plane on. I arrive in Salt Lake airport to be picked up by a company rep who was mysteriously wearing a uniform? Mr Wood he enquires, yes please follows me. We walk back out onto the tarmac to a waiting private jet. Now I am no idiot and had done my homework and knew that their offices are only 40 miles north of Salt Lake City? Why the plane. It is just me and him so I ask if I can take the co-pilot seat and promised not to push too many buttons. So I say flying time 10 min’s, Yea normally he reply’s but lets take a joy ride over to some place called the Rockies and then back to the office, yea haa?? Meeting goes well and on the return journey the jet was occupied so it was back in the helicopter. Cool thing was is it was a refurbished Bell 47 the same they used in M.A.S.H, very breezy and a bit hairy as you are totally exposed and open, which made they 0 degrees and recent snow all the more exciting.
Briefly looked into the Mormon way of life and came to the conclusion that one wife was headache enough, so why add more. And apart from multiple wife’s it does not have much else to entice me.
Onto my next flight with temperatures just below 0 to fly to Arizona where temperatures were in high 20’s, realise quite quickly that the overcoat, jersey and long johns were not really required and boy I wish I had my golf clubs.
Arizona: Car's, Bars, Planes & Pains (bloody shoulder).
Get to around 11.30am to find that my flight has been cancelled and the next one is not until 11.45pm, oh the joy of it all. So decide to get a rental car to explore Phoenix. I manage to beat Alamo down to $28 for 10 hours, which is not bad. Get my key and am told car is in row 1232 lot 789. Get to this spot after a 15 walk to find a very strange looking vehicle in the slot I have been designated. A Cadillac Escalade, which to those of little car knowledge is an enormous 4 wheel drive that seats about 20 people has 5 TV screens, a microwave, and a blow up doll called Monica (think about it). All this was true up to the microwave. I thought to myself this is ridiculas, I am one person just wanting to have a look around. I head back to the kiosk, "is there a problem" well yes, it just me and at $28 dollars it is a good deal, but I have just driven 1km and already used 1/4 of a tank of gas. Can I have a small car please? So they give me a Chrysler Crossfire, I think great, here I am in Phoenix Arizona for only 8 to 10 hours and they give a convertible chick magnet. All the luck. Have a bit of a look around then back to airport. Straight to the bar, get chatting with all sorts of people, balr blar. Onto the plane for the overnight to Detroit, pilot takes her up to 44,000 feet and hits the high winds up there and peels 1 hour of the flight time. We get our wake up call at 4.30 instead of 5.30. Wake up in agony, right shoulder feeling like it was broken, free it up a bit but pain is quite bad. Change vehicles and head for Toronto.
Toronto: Dislocated Shoulder, Gay Pool League.
Get through the weekend on pain killers and alcohol, when mixed correctly can be quite fun. Go to A&E to find that shoulder is partially dislocated, cool. Dr puts it back in and frankly I would have preferred the pain I was already in, he asks me what the hell I have been doing and all I could come up with was Monica the blow up doll. The down side is that I have quite bad tendon & muscle damage and it has been three weeks with no real improvement and my shoulder droops down noticeably as age gets to me so do other things as well? Some days I have nearly chopped the bloody thing off, my arm that is?
I have joined a pool team and we play in a league of 82 teams of 4 people. Currently we are in 7th place. I am the only straight bloke in the whole league. It is Monday nights and has been hilarious to say the least. Our team is called Cell Bloke Wardens, others have names that are not printable, one that comes to mind is "bum love" & then there is the "bandits" the "botty boys" etc. I want to name a couple of teams after a recent archological discovery, where some scientists have uncovered gay dinosaus. The male is called megasorass and the female lickalotapuss. I have put these names into the hat but no one has taken them up.
Mississauga Juju returns from Aoteoroa (bugger):
Juju arrives home from NZ, all is good and she had a great time as some of you are aware. So life back to normal. Well as normal as it can be while being married to me. Mac & I keep our distance for a few days just to make sure tolerance levels are within normal female range. I obviously weakened by pain killers pushed a bit hard on day three and things really got back to normal as I am given a good talking too, I make things worse by saying that I have been naughty and should be spanked.
Apart from that all is well, winter on the way temperatures below 5 and we are getting small snow flurries, so bring on the snow I say.
Next week in Detroit, then Thur/Fri is Thanks Giving. Following week Chicago, Wisconson & Minisotta.
So cheers to all,
Toronto Pip
Welcome to another installation of "the weeks that were". The exciting adventures of Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor? [Mississauga Juju absent in NZ, for first half of “the weeks that were”].
This instalment consists of business trips, bars, restaurants, police, special forces/swat, rabbis, Mormon's, planes, trains & automobiles, snow, “the gay pool league” & a dislocated shoulder.
Boston: Police, Rabbis, special forces/swat
Arrive in Boston to meet with rep, as per usual the flight is fine, however Boston airport is literally surrounded by the coast so it makes for bumpy, exciting crab like landings just about every occasion. Am picked up by rep and we decide to make the Hyatt Hotel our base as it looks back across the bay to downtown Boston. I explain to the waitress that we will be here for breakfast, lunch & quite possibly dinner as well. After 2.5 hrs we were approached by two policeman wearing jodhpurs, mirror glasses & an attitude [quite common in the states,] I had noticed they were hovering around the hotel which I did think was a bit strange. They enquire as to why we are staying in the restaurant & not moving, my normal witty repartee goes down like a lead balloon in a howling gale (must be the attitude), I asked if the mirror glasses could be removed and a few tense moments later as our fingers twitched on our respective hand guns, the situation is explained and we are free to stay where we are. Some big wig Rabi from Israel was in Boston talking to all the orthodox Jews of the US of A. He declined an audience with Toronto Pip who tried to explain that he has some fine ideas on all things Jewish & that I could organise some holy land in NZ if necessary. All Kosher I said & Shalom to you too.
Next thing we know there was this commotion out side and on the water, I turned to see what was going on and came face to face with a helicopter hovering about 30' from the water, commando's hanging out the side and its rocket launchers and machine guns pointing suspiciously in our direction. There were 5 of these choppers all around the harbour with police boats, coastguard cutters and all sorts going on. Every civilian boat was being boarded and the helicopters were flying over and down in front of those that got to close. TO CLOSE TO WHAT I HERE YOU SAY, all this security was for the delivery of a liquid nitrogen tanker, which apparently is just a floating bomb waiting to happen and would vaporise 2 sq.km. if it went up, and the Americans take this homeland security very seriously you know.
To end this eventful day I went to Cheers Bar which is still in its original place in Boston. I can now officially say I have had a beer at Cheers, disappointing however when I walked in no one called out my name, so is it really the bar were everybody knows your name???
Salt Lake: Mormons, Planes:
Across to Salt Lake City (another plane and of course no direct flight, so it’s Toronto, Detroit, Minnesota, Salt Lake oh the joy of it all) to visit a new OEM customer that I have just got back on board. They produce Jet-Ways for America and world wide. The tentacles that you walk down to the plane on. I arrive in Salt Lake airport to be picked up by a company rep who was mysteriously wearing a uniform? Mr Wood he enquires, yes please follows me. We walk back out onto the tarmac to a waiting private jet. Now I am no idiot and had done my homework and knew that their offices are only 40 miles north of Salt Lake City? Why the plane. It is just me and him so I ask if I can take the co-pilot seat and promised not to push too many buttons. So I say flying time 10 min’s, Yea normally he reply’s but lets take a joy ride over to some place called the Rockies and then back to the office, yea haa?? Meeting goes well and on the return journey the jet was occupied so it was back in the helicopter. Cool thing was is it was a refurbished Bell 47 the same they used in M.A.S.H, very breezy and a bit hairy as you are totally exposed and open, which made they 0 degrees and recent snow all the more exciting.
Briefly looked into the Mormon way of life and came to the conclusion that one wife was headache enough, so why add more. And apart from multiple wife’s it does not have much else to entice me.
Onto my next flight with temperatures just below 0 to fly to Arizona where temperatures were in high 20’s, realise quite quickly that the overcoat, jersey and long johns were not really required and boy I wish I had my golf clubs.
Arizona: Car's, Bars, Planes & Pains (bloody shoulder).
Get to around 11.30am to find that my flight has been cancelled and the next one is not until 11.45pm, oh the joy of it all. So decide to get a rental car to explore Phoenix. I manage to beat Alamo down to $28 for 10 hours, which is not bad. Get my key and am told car is in row 1232 lot 789. Get to this spot after a 15 walk to find a very strange looking vehicle in the slot I have been designated. A Cadillac Escalade, which to those of little car knowledge is an enormous 4 wheel drive that seats about 20 people has 5 TV screens, a microwave, and a blow up doll called Monica (think about it). All this was true up to the microwave. I thought to myself this is ridiculas, I am one person just wanting to have a look around. I head back to the kiosk, "is there a problem" well yes, it just me and at $28 dollars it is a good deal, but I have just driven 1km and already used 1/4 of a tank of gas. Can I have a small car please? So they give me a Chrysler Crossfire, I think great, here I am in Phoenix Arizona for only 8 to 10 hours and they give a convertible chick magnet. All the luck. Have a bit of a look around then back to airport. Straight to the bar, get chatting with all sorts of people, balr blar. Onto the plane for the overnight to Detroit, pilot takes her up to 44,000 feet and hits the high winds up there and peels 1 hour of the flight time. We get our wake up call at 4.30 instead of 5.30. Wake up in agony, right shoulder feeling like it was broken, free it up a bit but pain is quite bad. Change vehicles and head for Toronto.
Toronto: Dislocated Shoulder, Gay Pool League.
Get through the weekend on pain killers and alcohol, when mixed correctly can be quite fun. Go to A&E to find that shoulder is partially dislocated, cool. Dr puts it back in and frankly I would have preferred the pain I was already in, he asks me what the hell I have been doing and all I could come up with was Monica the blow up doll. The down side is that I have quite bad tendon & muscle damage and it has been three weeks with no real improvement and my shoulder droops down noticeably as age gets to me so do other things as well? Some days I have nearly chopped the bloody thing off, my arm that is?
I have joined a pool team and we play in a league of 82 teams of 4 people. Currently we are in 7th place. I am the only straight bloke in the whole league. It is Monday nights and has been hilarious to say the least. Our team is called Cell Bloke Wardens, others have names that are not printable, one that comes to mind is "bum love" & then there is the "bandits" the "botty boys" etc. I want to name a couple of teams after a recent archological discovery, where some scientists have uncovered gay dinosaus. The male is called megasorass and the female lickalotapuss. I have put these names into the hat but no one has taken them up.
Mississauga Juju returns from Aoteoroa (bugger):
Juju arrives home from NZ, all is good and she had a great time as some of you are aware. So life back to normal. Well as normal as it can be while being married to me. Mac & I keep our distance for a few days just to make sure tolerance levels are within normal female range. I obviously weakened by pain killers pushed a bit hard on day three and things really got back to normal as I am given a good talking too, I make things worse by saying that I have been naughty and should be spanked.
Apart from that all is well, winter on the way temperatures below 5 and we are getting small snow flurries, so bring on the snow I say.
Next week in Detroit, then Thur/Fri is Thanks Giving. Following week Chicago, Wisconson & Minisotta.
So cheers to all,
Toronto Pip
Friday, October 27, 2006
The Banshee in NZ, Mac at GM and the World Series: October 27 2006
Hi to all in Aoteoroa, the antipodes, the jewel of the pacific or just good old NZ.
It is I "Toronto Pip" who although has been decidedly quiet, has not for one moment forgotten about you. Albeit I do not feel the same love coming from down under, only from down under the covers? After losing Steve Irwin my mentor then following in quick succession my good friend Peter Perfect, [Juju will miss him more, I think she knew him better than we think??] I lost the urge to write. Now as we all know time heals all wounds, and some near death experiences have jolted me back into getting off my over worked and tired ass and sending the weekly journal, my jejune missive, my carry on, my exploits in the form of "THE WEEK THAT WAS".
50 Years Married:
You may or may not be aware I am a bachelor at present, for approx 6 weeks. Mississauga Juju or you may know her as "the banshee" or "she devil" is down in NZ as we speak. Apparently her parents have been married for 50 years [how Moira has done it, god only knows]. I can only cogitate that I have 40 years to go before that mile stone, Jesus in forty years I will be lucky to alive let alone survive being married to "she who must be obeyed", fact is I will have fallen of the twig and probably not be here any way.
But you must take your hat of to Paul & Moira who have reached a milestone that is now becoming more & more obsolete as the generations move by. I for one are looking at becoming a Mormon just to spice things up a bit, a bit of competition never hurt anyone and I can only see it as a win win for all parties involved to be precise, me. I am spending 2 days in Salt Lake City next week to scope things out.
Detroit/World Series/GM:
I went to Detroit the other day another meeting with GM and there design team. It was an opportune time as the Detroit Tigers have made the World Series baseball 7 game final against St Louis. And after having a brief rant about how it is not a world series as it is only between US teams, I was told very politely by John Ford [yes he is a great grandson] that it is called the world series as the original sponsor of this series was the World Newspaper.
After lunch in the GM restaurant they decided to take me to the game, let’s walk one said its only 4 blocks. Needless to say as I had driven and was on my todd I had taken Montreal McGregor with me, he enjoys a good road-trip. He was last seen in the lunch room surrounded by the typing pool girls [how sexist to still have typing pools]. I thought I better check on him and the girls before leaving for the ball park. I opened the door to the lunch room to see Montreal McGregor sitting up at the head of the table with a slice of cheese pizza [a US wedge which is about 10" across] and I truly believe he was genuinely smiling at me.
So across to the ball park and up to The GM corporate box, unfortunately only US draft beer so I joined the ladies in drinking some Californian whites, I get away with it with my accent as the beer drinking yanks hear me talk and say, oh he is one of those foreign guys who drinks cocktails and wine?
On the way back the normal crowd and drama of downtown Detroit, suddenly there was a backfire, quickly I announced that it was probably a Ford, waiting for the laughter at my joke it took a few more paces before I realised it was very quiet and I was on my own. Glancing around I thought what a strange time to play hide and seek. A policeman told me "to get down or be shot". Understandably I complied divimg behind a flower bed, then horror washed over me as I remembered that my bullet proof vest and hand gun were are at security back at GM and this would be my first genuine situation to draw it just like in the movies. Shit I was naked and in the open. The policeman said “not from round here are you".
Some crack grazed idiot was doing a good Don King impersonation and was dealt with in true US fashion,
HE WAS SHOT, and then about 20 policemen jumped on him just to make sure.
Got back to GM to find Montreal McGregor in a corner looking a bit worse for wear, apparently he had managed two slices at which point on showing an interest in a giant Kit-Cat bar proceeded to demolish that as well, this did not fear well for the 4 hour drive home. For those of you in the know it is not wise to give dogs chocolate. After bundling him up collecting my gear from security we drove 500 metres to the tunnel under the St Clair River back to Canada. Half way home Mac decided that he needed to stop, the inevitable power chuck and his own back fire and we were again on our way.
Boston
It’s 6.30am and I was back at the airport to fly to Boston for the day. It was cold and I kid you not threatening to snow we take off and the pilot announces straight up that there will be no in flight service as it looks like it will be bumpy all the way. Who cares its only 1hr 20min flight? Now two/three weeks ago I was in Disneyland/California Land & Universal studios doing theme park rides etc, so I thought I was seasoned, well yea yah what a flight. At one point we were struck by lightening, we nearly did an involuntary roll over and what the hell was that smell. Coming into Boston which is a waterfront airport was like nothing I have experienced for some time, its not very often you are sitting in your window seat looking directly down the wing which is pointing directly down the runway. How he put it down without killing us is beyond me. That smell, oh yes on our near roll over the toilets backwashed and that lovely blue jays fluid was seeping up the aisle.
I am back to Boston on Monday, may take Montreal McGregor with me as it is only for one night and with a short flight he can sit under the seat in front of me. Makes for interesting travel, and at customs it is worth the laugh in itself as he gets shaken down.
Then Wednesday over to Salt Lake City, Utah, will leave him in Toronto as this flight is to long for him and we do not need any toilet issues on the plane.
So on that note so long for now, I will be back soon with more in-depth and exciting adventures of Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor. Mississauga Juju is back on the 6th Nov so you just know there will be some good old stories to tell that week, if you know what I mean.
Bye to all & God Bless America
Toronto Pip
It is I "Toronto Pip" who although has been decidedly quiet, has not for one moment forgotten about you. Albeit I do not feel the same love coming from down under, only from down under the covers? After losing Steve Irwin my mentor then following in quick succession my good friend Peter Perfect, [Juju will miss him more, I think she knew him better than we think??] I lost the urge to write. Now as we all know time heals all wounds, and some near death experiences have jolted me back into getting off my over worked and tired ass and sending the weekly journal, my jejune missive, my carry on, my exploits in the form of "THE WEEK THAT WAS".
50 Years Married:
You may or may not be aware I am a bachelor at present, for approx 6 weeks. Mississauga Juju or you may know her as "the banshee" or "she devil" is down in NZ as we speak. Apparently her parents have been married for 50 years [how Moira has done it, god only knows]. I can only cogitate that I have 40 years to go before that mile stone, Jesus in forty years I will be lucky to alive let alone survive being married to "she who must be obeyed", fact is I will have fallen of the twig and probably not be here any way.
But you must take your hat of to Paul & Moira who have reached a milestone that is now becoming more & more obsolete as the generations move by. I for one are looking at becoming a Mormon just to spice things up a bit, a bit of competition never hurt anyone and I can only see it as a win win for all parties involved to be precise, me. I am spending 2 days in Salt Lake City next week to scope things out.
Detroit/World Series/GM:
I went to Detroit the other day another meeting with GM and there design team. It was an opportune time as the Detroit Tigers have made the World Series baseball 7 game final against St Louis. And after having a brief rant about how it is not a world series as it is only between US teams, I was told very politely by John Ford [yes he is a great grandson] that it is called the world series as the original sponsor of this series was the World Newspaper.
After lunch in the GM restaurant they decided to take me to the game, let’s walk one said its only 4 blocks. Needless to say as I had driven and was on my todd I had taken Montreal McGregor with me, he enjoys a good road-trip. He was last seen in the lunch room surrounded by the typing pool girls [how sexist to still have typing pools]. I thought I better check on him and the girls before leaving for the ball park. I opened the door to the lunch room to see Montreal McGregor sitting up at the head of the table with a slice of cheese pizza [a US wedge which is about 10" across] and I truly believe he was genuinely smiling at me.
So across to the ball park and up to The GM corporate box, unfortunately only US draft beer so I joined the ladies in drinking some Californian whites, I get away with it with my accent as the beer drinking yanks hear me talk and say, oh he is one of those foreign guys who drinks cocktails and wine?
On the way back the normal crowd and drama of downtown Detroit, suddenly there was a backfire, quickly I announced that it was probably a Ford, waiting for the laughter at my joke it took a few more paces before I realised it was very quiet and I was on my own. Glancing around I thought what a strange time to play hide and seek. A policeman told me "to get down or be shot". Understandably I complied divimg behind a flower bed, then horror washed over me as I remembered that my bullet proof vest and hand gun were are at security back at GM and this would be my first genuine situation to draw it just like in the movies. Shit I was naked and in the open. The policeman said “not from round here are you".
Some crack grazed idiot was doing a good Don King impersonation and was dealt with in true US fashion,
HE WAS SHOT, and then about 20 policemen jumped on him just to make sure.
Got back to GM to find Montreal McGregor in a corner looking a bit worse for wear, apparently he had managed two slices at which point on showing an interest in a giant Kit-Cat bar proceeded to demolish that as well, this did not fear well for the 4 hour drive home. For those of you in the know it is not wise to give dogs chocolate. After bundling him up collecting my gear from security we drove 500 metres to the tunnel under the St Clair River back to Canada. Half way home Mac decided that he needed to stop, the inevitable power chuck and his own back fire and we were again on our way.
Boston
It’s 6.30am and I was back at the airport to fly to Boston for the day. It was cold and I kid you not threatening to snow we take off and the pilot announces straight up that there will be no in flight service as it looks like it will be bumpy all the way. Who cares its only 1hr 20min flight? Now two/three weeks ago I was in Disneyland/California Land & Universal studios doing theme park rides etc, so I thought I was seasoned, well yea yah what a flight. At one point we were struck by lightening, we nearly did an involuntary roll over and what the hell was that smell. Coming into Boston which is a waterfront airport was like nothing I have experienced for some time, its not very often you are sitting in your window seat looking directly down the wing which is pointing directly down the runway. How he put it down without killing us is beyond me. That smell, oh yes on our near roll over the toilets backwashed and that lovely blue jays fluid was seeping up the aisle.
I am back to Boston on Monday, may take Montreal McGregor with me as it is only for one night and with a short flight he can sit under the seat in front of me. Makes for interesting travel, and at customs it is worth the laugh in itself as he gets shaken down.
Then Wednesday over to Salt Lake City, Utah, will leave him in Toronto as this flight is to long for him and we do not need any toilet issues on the plane.
So on that note so long for now, I will be back soon with more in-depth and exciting adventures of Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor. Mississauga Juju is back on the 6th Nov so you just know there will be some good old stories to tell that week, if you know what I mean.
Bye to all & God Bless America
Toronto Pip
Thursday, October 12, 2006
While the Cats away: October 12 206
Kia Ora to all in Aoteroa,
Yes I am alive & well. However my schedule has been harsh. Just a snippet to tie you over for this weekends journal I am in the process of writing.
Monday, fly from Los Angeles to Boston, Boston to Buffalo then Buffalo to Toronto, total 12 hours including time change, so actually 15? Monday was Thanksgiving in Canada not America before you all start emailing me that is in November. Why on a Monday, well why not. I had actually been in LA with my brother & his wife & kids. Disneyland, California Land, Universal Studios etc.
Tuesday, Toronto office, catch up on back log.
Wednesday, fly to Chicago to attend court where we are being sued apparently something I said, go figure, me and something I said, no? To cut a long story short a flooring contractor got it wrong and blamed everybody but himself. The general contractor and our company won. At which point I pressed for court cost's as well as other related costs of travel, time, mental anguish, physical disfigurement [seat in plane not big enough], and a first class ticket to any European destination to find my inner peace that was shattered because of the malicious and painful attack on my person. Just as a joke, however the judge ruled in my favour so I will have a "week that was" coming from you live from Paris in two weekends time, [God Bless America]. Sorry Juju won't be here to enjoy that, now who should I take eh? I feel a trip to the Brass Rail coming on????
Thursday, in Toronto office catching up again.
Friday, fly to Detroit to try and sort out yet another installation problem and try to diffuse before it gets to court stage.
So you lot, I will finally have the "week that was" or as it has been so long "the month that may have been" out to you for a Monday reading, it promises to be filled with intrigue, excitement, and all sorts of useless other stuff.
Cheers for now,
Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor
Absent [Mississagua Juju, currently Auckalofa Ju] Dearly missed, like my connection in Boston.
Yes I am alive & well. However my schedule has been harsh. Just a snippet to tie you over for this weekends journal I am in the process of writing.
Monday, fly from Los Angeles to Boston, Boston to Buffalo then Buffalo to Toronto, total 12 hours including time change, so actually 15? Monday was Thanksgiving in Canada not America before you all start emailing me that is in November. Why on a Monday, well why not. I had actually been in LA with my brother & his wife & kids. Disneyland, California Land, Universal Studios etc.
Tuesday, Toronto office, catch up on back log.
Wednesday, fly to Chicago to attend court where we are being sued apparently something I said, go figure, me and something I said, no? To cut a long story short a flooring contractor got it wrong and blamed everybody but himself. The general contractor and our company won. At which point I pressed for court cost's as well as other related costs of travel, time, mental anguish, physical disfigurement [seat in plane not big enough], and a first class ticket to any European destination to find my inner peace that was shattered because of the malicious and painful attack on my person. Just as a joke, however the judge ruled in my favour so I will have a "week that was" coming from you live from Paris in two weekends time, [God Bless America]. Sorry Juju won't be here to enjoy that, now who should I take eh? I feel a trip to the Brass Rail coming on????
Thursday, in Toronto office catching up again.
Friday, fly to Detroit to try and sort out yet another installation problem and try to diffuse before it gets to court stage.
So you lot, I will finally have the "week that was" or as it has been so long "the month that may have been" out to you for a Monday reading, it promises to be filled with intrigue, excitement, and all sorts of useless other stuff.
Cheers for now,
Toronto Pip & Montreal McGregor
Absent [Mississagua Juju, currently Auckalofa Ju] Dearly missed, like my connection in Boston.
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