Friday 27 January 2012

Cafes and Hats and Museums and Oh My Goodness!





Yesterday Robyn and I returned to Vendome. WITH cameras! We weren't in our dashing hats, but the picture she took is fabulous, so here it is!

We had some very good, very large cinnamon buns. And my Americano blew my socks off. Unfortunately, it got a bit tight for time, so we had to dash from our exploration of the city and zoom to the Police Museum. It was good, and a free trip around for moi.
Go there if you get the chance, especially if you have kids and want them to learn about drug awareness and bullying and things. Very well done/terrifying displays, and some nice collections as well, though more of them would be good!

Then we popped back and had sweeties and flumped about, and Katelyn said bye before vanishing to New Brunswick.

Today I was hugged by the lovely Annette at Brew and Blendz, and Janice at the theatre wished me a lovely year, as she's retiring early this year. Dr. Hardy said "Don't let him go! He's too cute, and he knits!"

Oh my! Such attentions!

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Tuesday Happenings

Today, Robyn and I went down to a part of Calgary called Sunnyside to have some coffee. We wandered up to a little cafe called Vendome. It has a red phone box outside and black and white pictures inside.

And it was very good! Robyn had a tuna panini, mine was duck. They were very good, and quite reasonably priced, too. Their medium blend coffee was very pleasant, not overpowering at all. All in all, it's an excellent place, with a very nice contemporary European feel.

On another note, I have a milk tooth which refused to leave, and the filling in it is playing up. Some of it's come away, and now I have a slightly sore tooth! Bum! But fear not, I shall get it fixed within a week, for I am off on an aeroplane on Sunday night, bound for Blighty! My Canada trip is almost at an end! Alas!

Friday 20 January 2012

It's Friday and I'm in...cold land!

It's only minus 30! Rejoice!

And put your scarf on, because it's still Baltic! You know it's too cold outside when you get brain freeze and frozen moustache syndrome just from being in a place. Why build a city here? It's freezing in the winter, there are bears and coyotes in the summer, and the air pressure is a lot like being in a whack-the-mole machine.

But I'm glad they built Calgary, it has some awesome people, and a pretty cool university that's actually a lot of fun to mooch around for a week or two.

Also, here's a short book review:

A Brief History of Mutiny by Richard Woodman.

An enjoyable and informative book, jam-packed with contemporary source material from all kinds of documents and publications, which reveals the darker side of naval life. From Drake to the Second World War, this book explores the dissatisfaction, rebellion and downright terror which caused seamen through history to rise up and take matters into their own hands, often with tragic consequences.

A few editorial slips do little to detract from the overall enjoyment of this book, written by a man with maritime experience galore, which paints vivid pictures of the ships about which we read, without confusing the reader with salty sea jargon. Bloody, vicious and without a punch pulled, we are given valuable insight into how mutinies start, and usually end, with conclusions on their degrees of justification and the effects they each had on the way navies have been run.

Read through, it makes a fascinating chronology of mutinies, dipped into at random, a terrifically entertaining ride through the past. Though vitriolic in his opinion of various captains and crew, Richard Woodman has succeeded in writing a well-crafted and clever book, well worth reading.

So there, hope you enjoyed that little change of pace. I might do some more of these if I get positive feedback on this one. I like reviewing things :)

Anyway, time for pizza for lunch from last night. Om nom!

Thursday 19 January 2012

Shall we Thursday?


Look how fab we are! Robyn at unraveltheturtle (link on the right) photoshopped and took the snap of me! Mmm, quesadillas!

So yesterday we (Robyn and I) went to a little bistro type place down town called Farm. It was rather nice, and everything was organic, local and very tasty! They had a cheese shop next door and it was...well, my kind of place, really! The only downside- it was 30 below outside and we walked about 3/4 of a mile to get there! >.< We also did some lovely knitting and crochet the other day with our friend Christina in deVille, a cafe down near city hall which does some excellent nutella lattes and yummy chicken quesadillas! Highly recommended!

Today I flumped about chatting with various doctors and professors of archaeology, and had some more thoughts about my continuing studies next year. So far I have a few cool things I'm interested in, and people seem interested in me, too. So yay!

I don't feel nearly as rubbish about myself as I did late last year, I've come to realise that we all make errors in judgement now and again, and that we should accept that, and move on with our lives, and remember that as long as we're trying and being ourselves, we're being the best people we can, whether people accept that or not.

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Noo Hats?


Well, Robyn and I went to Chinook shopping mall yesterday, and we bought THE best hats. I look like a cheeky Cockney chappy! Robyn looks...well, classy and cool!

And oh my it's cold! Minus 30 is NOT conducive to life, and I fail to see why people settled here! Except for the dramatic scenery, vast landscapes, amazing wildlife and everything else! It's snowy and lovely and I like it a lot!

Well, this hat does go nicely with my waistcoat and grey trousers! I'm sorry to go on, but it's amazing! I love this hat! Aaagh! Anyway, learning in lectures without having to do exams or essays is lovely! And Robyn and I have been drawing lithics and pottery again, and oh my! I'm sleepy.

Monday 16 January 2012

Back! I'm back! Sorry!

Absence of a month and a half = worst blogger EVER!

So my New Year's resolution to do more on here will soon be put into action! Right now, in fact. Hi.

What have I been up to? Well, I've done ALL the winter sports! Skiing, skating, sledging, tubing and freezing half to death! I've had an ear infection, and I'm just trying to shake off a mystery something as well at the moment, so there!

I'm back in Calgary now, and it. Is. Freezing! Minus 25.C and covered in snow. I've been learning, exploring and getting impressive receptions from archaeological professionals. The fools think I'm sensible! This last weekend we went to Drumheller, to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, and there were DINOSAURS! It was magnificent.

Robyn and I have decided to make an Etsy shop to sell our handcrafted wares to the unsuspecting public, so we've been learning to knit shinies!

Anyway, that will be all until later this week, and I promise I shall do more this year. Much love!

xxx