O Canada!

 mygapyear.ca

You're not my home or native land, but I still think you're pretty spectacular. For my 30th birthday this past April, my best friend, Jenny, surprised me with a trip to Canada! Yeah, I know, greatest best friend ever. In reality, it was all thanks to the Pampered Chef... well, Jenny's ability to sell their awesome products.

Now, I've been to Canada a couple of times, once, I visited one of their fine French speaking airports for  48 hours... FORTY EIGHT HOURS, thanks to a menacing snowstorm that refused to budge. Angry passengers were yelling at angry airline staff in angry Canadian French. Me, I slept on a plastic chair with my sister and nephew and subsisted off day old bagels and questionable beverages... not the best introduction to a country I've ever had. The second time, thankfully, was much more fun, and can be read about in my very first blog post!

This trip to Canada however, was nothing but straight up awesomeness. But, it did begin a little strangely... I won't rehash, but to say that the worst string of tornadoes to hit Alabama in my lifetime struck the day before we left, leaving everything in a state of havoc. Driving to Jenny's in complete darkness, no streetlights, no store signs, not even a visible moon, was one of the eeriest experiences in my life.

Anyway...

"What do all these lines mean?"

We flew to Canada, hopped our transportation shuttle, dropped our bags off at the hotel, registered,  and proceeded to immediately get lost on the streets of Toronto. Now, navigation isn't a strong suit for either of us, and I'm pretty sure we won't be earning our merit badges in map reading anytime soon.  Originally, we were looking for China Town, hoping to grab a spot of dinner. Instead we ended up in the gay district looking very much like the helpless, hapless American tourists that we were.

Eventually, we decided to scrap the plan for China Town and headed towards the somewhat closer Greek Town... not that we knew how to get there either. Thankfully, some kind Canadian lady took pity on us and approached, asking if we were lost and if she could help. With her directions and only a couple of wrong turns, we found our way to Greek Town. We were both pretty exhausted from all the walking getting lost entailed, so much so, we didn't bother to take many (any) pictures, but take my word, Greek Town was excellent, mainly because it offered me a meal consisting of Souvlaki, feta cheese, lemony rice, and pita bread- much better than the... unsatisfying bag of nothing... offered on the airplane.

And that was day one in the great province of Ontario!

Day 2, which happened to be my birthday, started very early... all thanks to a couple of high profile Brits. I won't lie... I was excited about the Royal Wedding. I'm not much older than William and have always been interested in the exploits of the British crown. I thought Wills was handsome, Kate, absolutely stunning, and Harry was dashing (and ginger and awesome!)

That dress was perfection.

After watching the wedding, it was breakfast time... and the Pampered Chef knows how to put on a spread, but you'd kind of assume that given that they're "The Pampered CHEF." It was amazing, but we still went for birthday donuts afterward, because, well... 30.

Tim Horton's!

*Cue Homer Simpson face*

I'd never actually had Tim Horton's before this trip, but I'd heard their goodness extolled constantly by Jenny. Personally, I thought they were pretty good, and the one that has cinnamon in it is outstanding, but nothing compared to the wonders offered by our local Fultondale Bakery.

After Tim's... I think we took naps. I know, we're not exciting, but that wedding was at an unholy hour! Besides, it was my birthday, and trust me, that nap was a present. After that, it was time to explore the city a little, and by explore the city, I mean find a place for a birthday lunch. (Seriously, we did do more than eat on this trip.)

Though, obviously, eating was a big part of it.
POUTINE! Yes, Canada's famous concoction of fries covered in cheese curds and gravy finally made its way my face. I must say, I wasn't a great fan of this particular gravy, but the concept is a good one. I do like my fries with an obscene amount of ketchup, but this was a nice departure, and with a better gravy, it'd be awesome.

Jenny liked the beer. I still can't stand the stuff.
We had this birthday lunch at a little brewery, Les 3 Brasseurs, which we found while walking around downtown. We didn't know anything about it, but the food was tasty, the service good, and they offered free tours, which was a nice bonus.

 This gigantic copper kettle is where the hops (or barley or whatever) are cooked... I'm not sure. I'm by no means an aficionado on the brewing of anything, and it's almost sad to have me attempt to explain it. I just know it's a very important part of the process. It's a beautiful piece of equipment, that's for sure. This is the only portion of the operation that's viewable from the dining area of the restaurant.

 Here we are out of the public eye, in the working portion of the brewery. These tanks hold the brew and allow it to ferment for however long is necessary. Also, there's a random guy for your viewing pleasure.

This is where they keep all the grain for the various kinds of beer they make. The guy is pointing something out that's probably important, but I was too busy laughing at the pic I'd just taken, (this one) because Jenny seems to be sauntering through the room like she owns it.

Maybe she does. Jenny's really, really enthusiastic about beer.

Really... enthusiastic.

Me, I still don't like the stuff, but I enjoyed the tour. All of the equipment is interesting, and some of it is downright beautiful. Leave it to an artist to be overwhelmed by the aesthetics of beer while not caring for the taste of it! I will say, I would absolutely love to design a beer (or wine) label. They're often beautiful/funny/cheeky works of art.

A big thanks to this guy, who took us on the tour. I don't remember your name, brewing guy, but I'll never forget you! (Until, I probably forget you.) After that, we played at being the tourists we actually were. We did a little sight seeing, visited the mall, ("Let's go to the mall! ...Today!") took pictures in front of all the American stores, partook of wedding day cupcakes during a replay of the royal vows, and generally enjoyed the rest of the day and the Pampered Chef banquet that night, in my honor. (Well, probably in honor of the thousands of reps there, but delusions are fun!) All in all, it was a great way to turn 30.

Next post... NIAGARA FALLS!

Pardon Our Progress...

I was writing about Canada, when all of a sudden I realized I was tired of my blog... the way it looked, I mean. So, I'm changing it. I hate everything I've done so far, so this might take a while.

Debby Downer posts about Deadliest Catch.

Yeah... I'm a slacker. Ok, now that we've covered the basics, let's move along to something else. The only reason I'm blogging today is so I'll feel less horrible about myself. You know what's nice? Being the only person in a group not invited to something... and everyone else having no problem talking about it in front of you. Happy Thursday, Liz, you suck. 

Fine.

So, here's more outdated Deadliest Catch stuff. Well, first there's some baseball with friends. The Mariners apparently play this sport, but I think that might be debated by the fans of the game. Lynn, Travis, Kristina, and I all made it into the season opener, sans tickets, thanks to some expert schmoozin' by Trav. The Mariners were my first pro baseball game, so going back was fun. I do have fond memories of that day and the team, even if they didn't exactly win.

 Here's somebody hitting a ball that somebody else probably caught.

 

Lynn and I are totally pumped to be at the game, especially since we were late, and tickets were going, going, gone!

...And here's a visual treat for all of us. I now know what Santa does in the off season. He goes to Baseball games, wears a giant hot dog on his head, and probably forces parents into difficult conversations with their children.

I wish this picture was better, but it's not. Look past the kid on his phone and the grampa in the jacket and see beyond to the dude in the jersey that seems to be sprouting odd, bear-shaped growths. Yeah, that guy... look at him. He's wearing a Mariner's uniform covered in teddy bears. WHAT IS GOING ON THERE? ...Should we hide the children?

If you can't tell by the Sad Sam faces in this picture, the Mariners pretty much stunk it up. I felt bad for Lynn...  he was so excited to go to the game!

Still, it was fun to watch. Live sports are always interesting, and the atmosphere was charged, though it was more a "trade 'em all!" kind of charged... 

Our final shot at the game... I forgot to tell Kristina and Trav we were doing "happy fun times faces" for this one. 

Alright, here's some CatchCon stuff...

The Deckhand relay... always fun to watch. Here you see Mike "THE BEAST" Fourtner getting into a survival suit in record time. It looks like he's about two feet off the ground, but if you look closely, you can totally see his left leg is still on the ground. Optical illusions FTW! Also, his GIANT BOAT shoes may be used as flotation devices in case of emergency.

Around the time everyone else finished the first station of the relay, Mike was done with the whole thing and safety ensconced in his apparently condemned survival suit.

Now, everyone else gets in on the fun. Gumby is pleased.

Jake Anderson gets some nice air as he tries to wriggle into his suit.

Sometimes, you've got to help a brother out.

Poor Lynn, he got caught up in the "toss the hook" portion of the event, and it took him a little longer to get to the suits. Also, notice his hat. That Mariner's game was pretty bad...

That's some determination on that face right there!

Lynn was in his suit in record time!

And well, Lynn, you look kind of murderific in this shot. Just sayin'. 

A little later, or earlier, I don't remember timelines at all... Lenny was out there on the ground coiling line like a pro. You know, Lenny doesn't get his due on the show, but Lenny's awesome. He's a super nice guy, and funny, and totally rocks the deck and engine room. So, let him know! Give him a shout out on Crabwizard!

 The Captain's Panel. This is one of the most enjoyed aspects of CatchCon. Jeff Conroy, moderates the forum and the Captains answer questions posed by fans about what was seen during the season, or whatever is on their minds relating to the show, crabbing, life in general.

 Here, Captain Scott Campbell Jr. a newbie to the show, but not the fishing biz is answering a question about something or other. Capt. Keith looks on, and as you can see he was still wearing a brace from some recent surgery. Of course, it's no secret I'm a Wiz gal, but I really like that Capt. Scott and his Seabrooke. I think they're a good addition to the show.

Jake Harris was around being a goofball and enjoying the festivities... and his brother was somewhere else shooting off his mouth. I won't go into it, but suffice to say, he needed to check himself. And that's all I have to say about that. I hope they're both doing well, and getting through the sad times/ problems that have plagued them so heavily during the last few years.

 This was a huge highlight from my trip. I finally got to meet this lady! This is my friend Mel and we've talked online for years on various forums and facebook. It was our love of the deliciously handsome er, highly talented Corey Arnold and of course, Deadliest Catch, that brought us together. I was so thrilled to finally get to meet her. I can't wait to see her again!

I didn't get to see that much of this guy, which kind of sucks. As most DC fans know, Trav jumped aboard the F/V Time Bandit this season, and has been doing some excellent racing with Time Bandit Offshore, so if you know of a super boat race in your area featuring the one and only Travis Lofland, make your way out there and support him and the crew. Oh, and Travis, head back to B'ham sometime soon, K?

 Paul Sr. from American Choppers was there and unveiled the Deadliest Catch Bike. I don't have any pics of Paul, but here's a couple of the paint job on the tank and fender of the bike. There was some cool chrome work as well, though I didn't care for the wheels. However, my pics don't do the paint justice. Check out the pics from CC and of the bike on Crabwizard for more, including Sr. introducing the bike.

I love that color scheme, and of course, seeing the Wizard, even in illustrated form, is always a treat.

Anyway, I think that's all I'm going to cover. Everything else was just good times with friends, and I don't really have any more pictures. Sorry I'm such a Debby Downer today, but you know, being snubbed is just so fun.

Next post: Tornadoes abound, I turn 30, some English people get married, and I find myself in Canada.  Such is my glamorous life.

CatchCon 2011: Part Two-It's About a Staircase!

 We were being filmed coming into the pier. I'm not sure they've done that before. I honestly don't recall from years past. Most of us were on the bow of the boat, taking pictures, thus ruining what would probably have been a dramatic shot. :)

 

I made him pose for this shot.  I'm awesome at interrupting serious work. Anyway, that's a monkey fist knot and it weighs down the line he's holding so that he can toss it to someone on the pier and drag the big lines through to tie up the boat. Hooray for not drifting! 

After we were secure, the NW slipped in beside us, being driven by none other than...

Edgar Hansen! Jake Anderson was of course, there to help out as well.

Edgar's not fond of taking direction from others when it comes to tying up the boat!

  Matt Bradley was around for the ride too! Good to see him back on the deck, even if he doesn't look happy to be there. (Oh, and Ryan, if you happen to read this, show up next time, k? How else can we get fake married and freak out our loved ones?)

 Here, Jake and Matt are setting buoys between the two boats along with Danny Maki! Danny is one of the new crewmen on the Wizard and a super guy! It was great to get to meet him, and I'm looking forward to the next time I see him. 

I also managed to snag a shot of the elusive Norman Hansen. I once spent an evening just talking to Norm about all kinds of stuff. He's actually a very nice guy with a great personality, just kind of quiet. I'm sure he doesn't remember me in the slightest. 

Monte and Keith directing the action on deck!

One of the camera guys was filming everything. I tried to stay out of his way.  I probably failed.

 Here you can see Soper running the crane... FROM BEHIND HIS BACK, just like he does during the season, so that he can keep his eyes on the deck. Great skills... he has them.

 At one point, the crane actually sprung a leak, and here's Lenny, well, his hands at least, taking care of it!

The sorting table has to be moved out of the way so that people can walk on the deck during the tours... outside of bagging bait, it's times like this when it's handy to have greenhorns.

I know this isn't the most interesting shot ever, but I like it, a lot. The crane was swinging over my head, and I managed to snag a shot as it buzzed past. I figure this is a "crab's eye view." 

After moving the table, it was time to bring the gangway down onto the deck so that people could travel onto the boats. That giant metal staircase is weird. The stairs aren't deep, and they're too long, but not quite long enough that you want to take two at a time, so you end up just kind of shuffling down it while the boat is rocking, praying you don't take a header down the sucker. It's like the stairway to heaven... by which I mean, it's surprising nobody had died on the thing yet. Deadliest Catch, deadliest staircase.  "On a staaaaaaircase I ride..."

Yeah, I'm ending this one here... with a staircase... because I'm lame awesome like that. Next up, the Mariners disappoint Lynn Guitard, and CatchCon 2011!