Did We Spring Forward A Day?

Gah! How'd it get to be Monday already?

The weekend went a touch differently than originally expected.

Original plan:

Dinner for friend's 30th on Friday, skip the clubbing, relatively early night home.
Head north and ski all day Saturday
Recover Sunday

Actual occurence:

Dinner for friend's 30th on Friday, skip the clubbing, go out and meet up with more friends for drinks. Miss the last train southbound by about 7 minutes (no biggie, it's only a 20 minute walk). Later meeting with friends was due to the fact two of them were getting hitched on Saturday and then moving to Australia (Melbourne, what's with that place?) on Sunday.

6 degrees and rain in ski country after days of the same do not make for good downhill conditions. I tried to make alternate plans for Saturday - first was poker @ Niagara - no go. Then craps @ Niagara - no go. I called up my best friend and asked if she wanted to finally go to the ROM before it fell down. She said sure and off we went. The "new" addition to the place is horrible from the outside. It looks like a big aluminum-siding iceberg smashed into the beautiful old stone and brick edifice that has long stood there. From the right angle, it looks like a giant Jawa transport (hence the lightsabre duels that occasionally take place in front of it). I had heard inside was no better... I was disappointed even then. Plain, boring, white, cheap, and getting dirty... the epitome of boring and overbudget. I imagine it will be torn down in a decade and maybe something that isn't an unoriginal piece of shit will be built in place of the "crystal".

That said, I did like the Trypilian exhibit that's in town until the 22nd. The gems collection and Egyptian book of the dead were also cool. The diamonds exhibit was a waste of time unless you've never read a single thing about diamonds. Fairly rudimentary facts mixed in with boring geological information (which I knew from my years of dating a Mineral Engineering student). Some unexciting examples, and a few nice pieces. I'd have liked more on the newer man-made diamonds, which I think will eventually really shake up the market on stones, but this thing was sponsored by De Beers, so no chance of that.

The previous night, the bride-to-be insisted I come to their wedding on Saturday. See, I'd received an announcement, but there was no formal invitation. This was largely a ceremony to make life in Australia easier (they've been together over 6 years, so it was going to happen eventually anyway). The "real" reception would be when they returned in 2010. I've known the husband I've known for 17 years (although we only reconnected 3 1/2 years ago), so I said I'd make the gathering at his parent's place, but would likely miss the ceremony at city hall. The fact the other two people that were there who I've known for just as long, if not longer (one I met nearly 20 years ago), also insisted I come helped the cause.

So, after wrapping up at the museum and grabbing a quick burrito, I headed home to change into my fancy clothes. I walked in the door, said hi to the cats, and promptly fell asleep for a quick nap. An hour later I shot straight up, yelled "SHIT!" and forgot what I was late for. Two minutes later it came back to me, I swore again, and ran around. The gathering at the folks' place, in the west end, started in 30 minutes, and it was at least a 20 minute drive, and I hadn't even BEGUN to get ready. I rushed around and was out the door in 45 minutes. I wasn't sweating it too much, because it wasn't a formal dinner or anything, just some food, and friends, and family. Traffic sucked, the rain sucked, and I opted to take a route that probably added 15 minutes to my commute. I was displeased with myself, and walked in the front door a bit wet, and bit out of place (as the family didn't know who I was... 17 years and I never met his dad, go figure). It was all okay though, as a hug from the bride, handshake from the groom, and acknowledgement from the handful of people I did know put aside any thoughts that I was a party-crasher.

It was a good time, with people I rarely get to see, and a really fun and easy-going family. Also, one of those families that you know somehow got it right. The kids are all happy, the grandkids are well-behaved and the "perfect" kids (my friend's neice is 7 or 8 and gave me hope for future generations), and if there are family feuds, they were very well hidden. I said my goodbyes to the happy couple, and said I may actually take them up on their offer to visit. I hear there's a blogger or two down under, as well as a casino. Plus, I'm aiming to be in Israel in August, so I'll already have made half the journey...

Sunday held to plan, as I slept in until after 3, never got dressed, and spent the day on the couch with a laptop and remote for the TV. Strangely, I slept like shit last night having woken up late and done nothing all day.