And the posting about the rest of the trip...

...is yet to come.

I promise I'll write about the highlights and post photos and whatnot sometime this week. But right now, I'm seated outside at Opal Divine's on W. Sixth, having a Maker's on the rocks and waiting for Thelma to join me prior to walking over to La Zona Rosa to see The Tragically Hip.

I've been in a FUNKY mood since we got back. I guess it was just flaming re-entry back into real life (mail including bills! laundry! the grocery store! twice!) after spending so many days with no schedules and no real "duties". I will say that I was way happy to see The Geej. Of course she'd grown 7 feet in the 6 days since I'd seen her. Like a weed, that one.

It's gorgeous outside right now. I've never been to Opal's all alone, and it's a bit of a weird feeling. Happily I've got my laptop and several mosquitoes to keep me company.

Oh wait, I think I just spotted a table of obnoxious Canadian Tragically Hip fans. They were just talking about The Maple Leafs and high-fiving, so... I'm not surprised. This is the way it goes with Hip shows: there are always a bunch of Canadian expats (or tourists) who come to the shows here because in Canada, The Tragically Hip sells out stadiums, so getting to see them in a small venue--for these super fans--is pretty fookin' awesome, ay? The thing that pisses me off is that they always just get so into the "HEY LOOK AT ME!! I'm CANADIAN...JUST LIKE YOU GUYS IN THE BAND!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!" There are always several douchebags sporting Maple Leaf hockey jerseys and drinking Molsens at the show, you know, just to drive the point home. I've been going to see this band for 20 years, and it just comes with the territory. But I will put up with it and I will have a great time because DAMN I love these guys. I have no idea why they haven't hit superstardom in the U.S., but it's fine with me b/c it allows me to see them play in little venues and experience the wonder that is Gordon Downie up close and personal-like. I am a superfan as well, let me assure you. I'm just a little less spaztastic about it. I hope.

So my sammich and fries are here, and I'm going to sign off so I can mack down on this shiz. I will finish up my anniversary-trip-posting tomorrow. But for now, here's some good, old Tragically Hip for you, from one of my favorite albums.



Smooches, fools.