Saturday.

It's late Saturday afternoon and I realize I don't have any wine at home to bring to a BBQ tonight. Dexter is with my mom after a lovely afternoon at his first symphony. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is doing their annual Symphony Under the Sky festival. I've been going for years. It's a mini-festival (fat franks, mini doughnuts, other concession goodies... very family friendly) at Hawrelak Park. Everybody takes in the symphony al fresco. This afternoon was a tribute to opera music. At one point my mom turns to me during Ride of the Valkyries from Wagner's Die Walkure and says, "This song is copied from Star Wars!" Oh mommy... you're so funny. When Rossini's William Tell Overture was playing she also informed me that this is the music they use to open up horse racing on Sundays in Hong Kong. Who knew?

Back to the lack of wine. I decided to take Dougal for a walk with the bike and go over to a local wine shoppe to pick something up while Don is working diligently away at re-building the front steps to our house. When we first set off Dougal is going full tilt and I've got Queen's Don't Stop Me Now cranked up (in my head). Both the dog and I have huge smiles on our faces... we're going so fast... YES!

On the way home he totally ran out of steam. We got about a third of the way home at a reduced pace and he just gives up and stops running altogether. I realize he's really tired and hot, so I pick him up and put him in the basket while all these people waiting for the bus are shouting from across the street, "He's too big!" I shout back, "He really fits!" Sure enough, Dougal was ferried the rest of the way home first class. I took my purse and put it in the pannier with my 2 bottles of wine. Dougal is such a show off when he rides in the basket. Look at him trying to be all superior, not letting on that he totally gave up.

This is the last "free" weekend before I start working again so it's packed with lots of activity and lots of friends! We're lucky enough that Don's old friend who currently lives in Manhattan is back in town over the weekend, and my best friend from childhood also made it here. Nothing to do but entertain at the bungalow!




We had a small dinner party on Friday night to catch up with said Manhattan friend. Great conversations about walking and taking the Subway everywhere. This friend of Don's is also pretty excited because his wife is expecting and due in December. This is where Miss Sarah opens her big mouth and puts her size 5 foot in it. I was going on about how it's dumb to buy a baby stuffed animals because all they do is collect dust and the baby can't even play with them for a long time. Well... we can all guess what he brought as a gift for Dexter. And the worst part is that I actually really love it and now it doesn't matter how I say it... it's not going to seem sincere! I am truly useless sometimes. So I took a picture of Dexter enjoying Harrison, his new friend from Monster Factory. I tell this cautionary tale so that none of you will humiliate yourself and come off as such an ingrate to your friends.




And finally, my best friend Chrissy came over to meet baby Dexter this morning. She has a very rigid schedule in Vancouver where she is a resident doctor specializing in internal medicine. Insider insight into my childhood. Chrissy and I were essentially inseparable for 12 years. I was always the loud, pushy, and bombastic one. Chrissy is far more sensitive, kind, was more disciplined with school, and way prettier. We made a good team:) Obviously she thinks Dexter is cute, and here she is getting her snap shot with the baby. See how Dougal parked himself down there hoping nobody will notice he wants to be in the picture too? Poor Dougal. Have I mentioned he is having some displacement issues?