Vancouver April 2005 - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

What a great day it is here in British Columbia!!!! It’s a balmy 20 degrees Celsius (68F). Went to lunch with some colleagues and we ate outdoors (the lady from Australia didn’t under the word “patio” - I told her to think veranda and she got it). Tangela, where did you take Nazaam to eat when he was in Dallas? He was talking about the chicken fried steak – didn’t exactly know how to describe it to Belinda (the Aussie) so I explained it to the two of them. They couldn’t quite get the concept – and when I said “breaded, deep-fried, and covered in gravy” she sort of blanched.

Left the office about 6:30 and decided to finally go check out that “regular” grocery store the concierge told me about. Took the bus and then walked around the neighborhood a little bit when I got there. It’s only about 7 or 8 blocks from the hotel, but an entirely different feel to it. Lot’s of little restaurants – nearly everybody eating outside – bakeries, florists, wine shops. Not too terribly upscale, but a cut above where the hotel is. And a number of older, very quaint apartment or condo buildings. The kind of neighborhood where one would want to live if one lived downtown.

It was a decent enough store – fresh produce and a deli. Quite a few recognizable brands – though not a big selection in many cases. Mainly bought some Stouffers and Lean Cuisine frozen entrees and some fruit and canned meats and soups (they have 8 oz. cans of Campbells which is neat for a single person and something I haven’t seen anywhere else). Was a little leery of the fresh meat (I don’t even buy meat at the Tom Thumb at home), but did buy some chicken. We’ll see if it’s any good. If I drop dead this week, look for the grocery receipt and sue the store.

Had a wonderful flight in yesterday!!! Weather in Dallas caused an hour delay in leaving, so it got dark fairly soon after take off, but I like flying at night. The plane was less than 25% occupied so everyone got to spread out and get comfortable. As soon as we got over Colorado, it was mountains for the rest of the way. There was a beautiful sunset and then a spectacular orange glow in the sky all the way. Very, very pleasant flight – made even more so by a handsome flight attendant…..his gray hair belied his age – probably early 40s. At the beginning of the flight when they announced the crew’s names, the first officer was Paul Peterson. When I gave the flight attendant my drink order, I asked him to “ask Paul if he would sing POLKA DOTS AND MOONBEAMS”. He looked a little confused so I explained that Paul Peterson was a singer in the 60’s and the guy who played Donna Reed’s son Jeff. But, I told him “You are probably too young to remember that show”. He said that he remembered Paul Peterson and the song, but he still looked confused. A few minutes later, he came back and asked me if I was working a crossword puzzle. I said “No, the first officer’s name was announced as Paul Peterson” – he laughed and said he hadn’t heard that. Now, wouldn’t you think that all of the crew would know each other?

A while later I walked toward the back and saw him sitting reading a book – he was wearing glasses!!!! My dream man – gray hair, glasses, and he READS!!!!! What more could a girl want????

Speaking of flight attendants, I think American has really lowered their standards. All the women on most of the flights I’ve taken in the last couple of years have been old and fat with unkempt hair. This was the first flight I’ve had in a while that even had a male attendant – thank God he wasn’t an eyesore!!!!!!

Got to Vancouver and Customs sent me to Immigration again. This is the 2nd time that has happened. The Company has provided me with a letter explaining my role as an “expert on US accounting and financial reporting issues, particularly those relating to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act”. Even so, the immigration official grilled me pretty seriously for a while and at one point said I was going to have to pay $150 for a work permit. But, I turned on the charm and sweet-talked him out of it and he let me go. Thank God, I didn’t have to go to the restroom during that time. The guy ahead of me asked to go and the agent said “in a minute” but then it was 15 minutes before she let him go and made him leave all his luggage. And then there was this crippled old man from Maui – I felt really sorry for him – he looked like he had been sitting there for a LONG time – I don’t know what their problem with him was.

So, I was a little tired by the time I got to the hotel but I have that wonderful Jacuzzi tub so that made up for it. One thing I discovered this morning, though, it that I do not have A/C in my apartment. Now, I’m going to reserve judgment on that for right now. Albert, my great concierge, came up and opened several windows for me – with the mountain air coming in that may be OK. In fact, right now it is very pleasant. Living in Dallas – between the crime and heat – it’s a novel concept to be able to keep windows open. We’ll have to see how it works out about the middle of June, though. There are no screens on the windows, but I think I’m probably too high for bugs. I guess I’ll have to stop drinking, though. I wouldn’t want to come home and fall out 17 stories!!!!

Y’all have a good week. I’ll write again on Sunday – the weather is supposed to stay nice and I’m going to head down to Victoria.