Easter Eggstravaganza!

Okay, so I was going to write some long post about how great my Easter weekend was, and how I got to do all these great things, but I'll be honest. It just comes off with me sounding like I'm going on and on about how much I love my fucking life. Which I do, but seriously... who wants to read that? And it makes me feel like an ass writing it, anyway, for some reason...

That said, there was some really cool shit that went down....

I actually got to spend a fair amount of time with my parents, but also with regular airings to go see other people. In other words, I got to enjoy seeing them, without spending enough time together that we were fighting. We got to talk about all kinds of stuff, into the wee small hours of the morning, and enjoyed the magical self-filling fridge and liquor cabinet.

Friday, I got to go visit my buddy Chris who, as some of you may know, is currently all but bedridden at his dad's place, which is turns out is only about 35 minutes from my parents' place! So I dropped over to see him and ended up staying for supper. Great to see him, but unfortunate at the same time as he was supposed to be back in the UK before his snowboarding mishap. You know those types of people who just seem to exude positive energy? Chris is without doubt one of those people, and it was truly inspiring to see that he has been able to keep his positive outlook on life through this. I'm actually looking forward to the idea that we'll be living in the same place this fall for the first time since his world traveling odyssey began a few years back.

Saturday was just plain cool. First, it seems my cousin has bought a house. Very cool. Secondly, that night my dad and I went to the Ottawa Branch of the Piper's Society, as they had a professional contest, followed by a small recital by the judge, who also just happened to be my former piping teacher. The contest was only slightly unimpressive, as Ottawa isn't exactly a piping hotbed, but damn... the show Bob put on afterwards, complete with little stories about how he wrote certain tunes for various occasions, and such. The funny part about that was a kinda realized that the story telling was familiar, and I finally figured it out: He practices his schtick on his students! Anyway, we (my dad and I) got to talk to him for a while, and I had forgotten that he's actually retiring this spring! If you thought he did a lot of traveling for piping seminars, workshops, judging, recitals and stuff before, holy crap.... he's certainly not slowing down and easing into retirement, that's for sure.

After that, my dad dropped me off at Patty Boland's for the much ballyhooed Birthday-Engago-bration, celebrating both Pat and Melissa's birthdays last week (on the 4th and 1st respectively), but as one might expect from the name, their recent engagement. Which, while it came as a surprise to almost no one (kidding!), is still a big deal. :) As Patty was there, we also got to iron out a few excellent details about our trip to Windsor for Ian and Maya's wedding in May.

Getting picked up by my dad at about 9:30 Sunday morning lended a decidedly high school flavour, but on the drive home, I guess my pallor betrayed me, as just before popping in last year's World Pipe Band Championships CD he asked, "...or is it too early in the morning for bagpipes?" It was not, but I appreciated the gesture.

Finally, if there was any doubt at Christmas, it has been removed. Porter Air is the fucking balls. Brand new planes, and free everything. The only drawback is that you're only in the air for a total of like 50-55 minutes, so you kinda have to hammer your beer down between the ascent/descent part of the trip. Also, when you're late (less than 20 minutes before take off, and you're still waiting for the ferry) they call over and ask if you're there... they then have your boarding pass waiting for you when you get off the ferry, and you just walk right on to the plane. Good times.