Guest Blathering: Dave

The photo above is of Shane McEwan holding the Visual Effects Oscar that the Weta Digital team won. Shane has made several appearances in my Waiting For Frodo comic. Many thanks to his girlfriend Jill for sending the picture! :-)

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Guest Blather by Dave

"Good morning all, Dave here.

And here is certainly a fine place to be, delightful company, delightful harp music to wake to, delightful friends who drop in and share chili. :) Yesterday I overslept getting up just after 1:00 PM. That Debbie, she should have woken me earlier. Visiting time is all too short to waste it sleeping. I set my alarm this morning. :)

Now there's a curious thing. I'm wondering how many of you have had this happen. I set my alarm for 8:30 am. I woke and decided to turn off the alarm before it went off. As I reached for the clock the alarm started. This is not the first time I've had this happen. It is as though I've set a clock going internally that is in synch with external clocks. Hmmm, maybe we are slowly evolving towards a hybrid mechanistic creature. Either that or Debbie was tickling my toe to wake me and I didn't realize it. :)

We had a fine half day yesterday. After shopping for a few ingredients Debbie helped me cook up a batch of chili. I passed on my secret recipe after she swore not to reveal it to others. From all accounts it turned out acceptable. Allison came over to help us eat it and spend a few delighytful hours catching up. Even though we were all at FKO this past weekend (and another fine FKO it was too, thanks to all the concom for hosting this party) we did not get much time together. I have found this to be a problem at most cons. Now-a-days I try to come early and stay late to get in much needed visiting time with those near and dear to me.

This afternoon I'll be heading to my home town of Port Dover to spend a couple weeks with my Mom and sisters. In fact, all of my family, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and so on live in that general area. I guess I'm the only one who wandered out of the fold. Hmmm, does that make me the "black sheep"? But before I leave I hope to get Debbie to record some of her harp music with me. The blend of her marvellous harp and my guitar makes a lovely music. I've already offered to play accompaniment for her on her next world tour.

Speaking of getting on the road I'll sign off now. Debbie is cracking the whip. Time to go and make lovely music together. :) Love and happiness to all.

When are they going to invent that transporter and time machine? There's always too much distance and too little time."

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Debbie here again...

No Dave Clement guest blathering yesterday, sorry. He slept in until 1:30 pm (!). That guy sure knows how to sleep. I started out by tiptoeing around, trying not to wake him up; I know that he didn't get much sleep during FKO weekend.

Around 10 a.m., though, I quit worrying so much about keeping quiet. Went into the kitchen and made breakfast, banged pots around, ate breakfast, cleaned up. Dave kept sleeping. I finally resorted to playing my harp (which is right beside the pull-out couch) louder and louder until he woke up. He was horrified to find out how long he had slept, and I've promised to wake him up earlier today.

Dave's visit has been a lot of fun...in addition to the music, we've spent a lot of time just hanging out and talking. He made his famous chili last night for Allison, Jeff and me (see photo below):





Jeff said it was the best chili he's ever had in his life. I have to agree! Yum, and we have a ton of leftovers in the fridge. We called Beckett last night, and Dave and I played one of our new harp and guitar arrangements at her. We all really, really missed Beckett at FKO.

One of the many reasons I enjoy Dave's visits so much is because they makes me look at everything around me differently. When Dave and I were outside walking around, for example, I was so much more aware of things that sighted people take for granted, such as the sidewalk curb at the other side of the street, the need to know which way a cab is facing before getting in, the confusion of noise in a crowded space.

The main reason I enjoy Dave's visits, though, is just because of Dave himself. I always end up wishing I was more like him in some way...more benevolent, good-natured, patient, adventurous. I highly recommend Dave as a houseguest; he inevitably leaves you and your household in better mental shape than when he arrives. :-)

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Daniel Glasser's FKO photos are online! I rarely get photos of myself or of all three of us at conventions since I'm usually the only one with a camera in Urban Tapestry, so got a kick out of looking through these pictures. Many thanks to the Glassers for making them publicly viewable!

Here are a few I especially liked or found amusing:

* The Canadiana Jam on Friday night: Graham, Jodi, Allison, me, Tom & Dave. I'm wearing the "Get Filk" t-shirt that Lyanne gave me for my birthday.

* Dave Weingart's concert: Ellen and I were helping him out on his last song. (and I got a kiss after, woohoo! :-))

* Tanya Huff doing a reading.

* Anke encourages Gary during the Interfilk auction.

* Our Interfilk donation being auctioned off: Graham was the auctioneer, with Kathleen as runner. Check out Kathleen's slinky musical dress!

* Me plotting revenge on Andrea when her Interfilk donation is revealed.

* Hey, I didn't know Daniel was taking this photo! Me in the open filk circle on Saturday night. Andrea gave me one of the Debbie Humiliation t-shirts and I actually ended up wearing it because it was so cold in the room. :-)

* Urban Tapestry performing "Precious Moments", one of Lissa's choices in the Filk Hall of Fame concert.

* Allison introduces "Life Is A Bowl of Oreo Cookies" just before we perform it, another on of Lissa's choices.

* I'm not sure what was happening, but I love this picture of Ingrid and Steve.

* Alan and I performing "Under His Blankie" in the Filk Hall of Fame concert.

* Mary Ellen, Alan and I performing "Home Is Wherever" as the last song in the Filk Hall of Fame concert. Corwin cooperated throughout the song by making sleepy baby noises but mainly just snoozing.